Smith and Jones
by aliasfluffyone
Summary: The continued misadventures of two pretty good bad man, including the return of some favorite characters. starts c1888 - stops Jan1894.
1. A Home For Wayward Men?

Disclaimer: Alias Smith and Jones does not belong to me. This is fan fiction, not for profit.

Any references to people, places, businesses, etc. are entirely fictitious.

A/N – story presumes the details on the wanted posters are not entirely accurate. Story exists in the same story verse as Kid Plans, South By Southeast, and Trouble In Texas but should also stand alone.

A Home For Wayward Men?

-x-x-x-x-x-x

"Did you get any rest last night?" asked Kid. "You were still pacing when I fell asleep."

Heyes stopped in midstride and glanced over his shoulder. Early morning sunlight streamed through the window highlighting the dark gold of his partner's hair. Kid stretched, then sat up and swung his long legs over the side of the double bed. The younger Kansan rolled his shoulders, then leaned forward resting elbows on bent knees.

"I'm an early riser, _Thaddeus_," answered Heyes with a dimpled smile. The dark haired former outlaw turned around to face his partner directly. Kid wasn't smiling. His lips were pressed together in a tense line. "What's wrong?"

"I've been thinkin'," answered Kid with a sigh.

"You've been sleepin'," objected Heyes.

"Unlike some people, I don't stay up all night worrying and pacing. Sleeping is when I do my best thinkin'," replied Kid. With a mild blue eyed glare at Heyes, Kid added, "No interruptions."

The blond stood up and stretched his arms high overhead, then Kid reached for the blue jeans hanging beside his gun belt. Kid continued speaking as he pulled his pants on over his longjohns.

"Yesterday. All that talk with Aunt Katie and Henry about us being Smith and Jones forever, sure was nice," said Kid softly, "but we both know that was nothing but a pipe dream."

"Now _Thaddeus…_," began Heyes.

"_Heyes,_ we can't be Joshua Smith and Thaddeus Jones for the rest of our lives," interrupted Kid. "Maybe, before all this attention, when no one knew Smith and Jones, but now? After the newspaper articles about Kid Curry and Deputy Jones?"

Heyes inhaled sharply and narrowed his dark brown eyes as he regarded his cousin. Yesterday's inquest had cleared up the misidentification of the man who died at Thunder Ridge last week. Reporter Wilkins had assured Joshua Smith that a correction would be printed clarifying the dead man was not Kid Curry, but instead a crooked bank auditor and thief named McIntyre. The reporter was also going to do a full article on the arrest of McIntyre's partner, Lloyd Eugene Carstairs.

"Our lives aren't like those stories your Pa used to read to Cleo. We don't get to end with happily ever after," continued Kid as he pulled on his blue shirt and began buttoning it.

"Our lives aren't that simple," muttered Heyes. The avid reader had recently finished Thoreau's book for the third time. "Like most people, we _lead lives of quiet desperation_, but we have to keep trying."

"What are you yammering about now Heyes?" demanded Kid.

Heyes shook his head, now was not the time to explain _Walden_ or trancendentalism. More practical matters needed to be addressed. Heyes had never been one to fantasize, unless you counted hoping for a governor to come through on a long overdue promise of amnesty.

"Did you listen to the judge quizzing Sheriff Coltrane about Carstairs' trial in Clarendon and Leroy Johnson's statement?" asked Heyes.

Kid gave Heyes a baleful glance as he tucked the blue shirt into his pants. The muscular blond reached for his gun belt and strapped it on.

"From where I was sitting," reminded Kid, "I could probably hear the judge and Coltrane better than you."

Heyes smiled. The tiny town of Thunder Ridge boasted only a few buildings. Upon the circuit court judge's arrival, the stable was hurriedly set up for the inquest into McIntyre's death. The strategist had been standing at the rear of the stable during the proceedings. In his role as Deputy Jones, Kid had been called to the judge's table at the front of the stable to sign some documents. Carstairs arrived near the end of the inquest and loudly denounced Thaddeus Jones as Kid Curry. In the ensuing uproar, Jenny Black claimed Thaddeus Jones as her oldest son, Patrick J. McCreedy claimed Jones as his nephew, and the townsfolk of Thunder Ridge all identified Thaddeus as their long time neighbor.

"Coltrane's testimony, along with Henry's statement, changes everything," said Heyes.

Henry Curry, Kid's older brother long thought by the partners to be dead, arrived in the midst of the chaos. Henry swore to the judge that while Thaddeus Jones looked enough like him to be kin, Henry had never seen the man before. Heyes had to admire Henry Curry's fine line of prevarication. Technically, Kid's older brother hadn't lied. Henry had last seen Jedidiah Curry when his brother was an eight year old boy.

"How does the judge's questions about Clarendon and Danny make a difference to us?" asked Kid.

A broad dimpled grin spread across the slender dark haired man's face. Heyes raised a hand and began to tick off the points on each finger.

"The first difference is that Henry's testimony is now a matter of legal record. Thaddeus Jones looks like Kid Curry," answered Heyes with his index finger upright.

"Of course I look like Kid Curry," grumbled Kid.

"And secondly," stressed Heyes as he raised another finger, "Leroy's testimony in Texas at Carstairs first trial confirms Thaddeus Jones and Kid Curry are two separate individuals."

"Huh?"

"Johnson saw you in Clarendon and he swore you weren't the man who murdered his brother, Kid Curry," reminded Heyes. "Later, Leroy identified the Matherville undertaker's photograph of Danny as Kid Curry."

"We know that ain't true though," objected Kid.

"For once, we've got the law on our side," smirked Heyes. "There are court records in the state of Texas and Wyoming Territory that show Carstairs tried to claim Thaddeus Jones is the outlaw Kid Curry, but there are multiple witness statements that say otherwise. And Coltrane confirmed that Kid Curry is buried in Matherville."

"That I don't understand at all. How is Danny being labelled Kid Curry any different from Fred Philpotts using my name?" demanded Kid.

Danny had been responsible for the death of Seth and others, while Fred was an innocent young fool looking for glory. After the shooting in Matherville, Kid sent telegrams to both Johnson and the saloon gal Lurene. Sheriff Coltrane testified yesterday that Leroy Johnson went to Matherville after receiving word of Danny Bilson's death. The undertaker's photograph of Danny Bilson, or whatever the smiling gunslinger's real name had been, had convinced Johnson that his brother's killer was dead. Johnson identified the dead man as Kid Curry.

"The biggest difference," reminded Heyes softly as he raised his third finger, "is that no one has seen the outlaws Curry and Heyes for nearly eight years."

"People see us every day," objected Kid.

"People see Thaddeus Jones and Joshua Smith," clarified Heyes. "Memories fade over time. People forget. I don't know if anyone could identify us now beyond a reasonable doubt."

"We still look like ourselves," said Kid.

Kid still looked younger than his years. The blond man walked with an easy rangy grace, but eight years of living on the run had an impact. Tiny creases now showed around his blue eyes just as they did around Heyes dark brown eyes, lines that hadn't been there just a few years earlier. Neither man had ever been heavy set, but Kid was now leaner while Heyes' slender frame appeared downright skinny. Heyes ran a hand through his dark brown hair. The motion lifted the hair over his temples, hair that was starting to gray.

"We're no longer on the front of every sheriff's bulletin board," reminded Heyes.

"Being Smith and Jones for the rest of our lives still won't work," sighed Kid. "Carstairs won't keep his mouth shut and sooner or later someone is gonna believe him."

"Carstairs has his own problems with the law," reminded Heyes. "With the exception of Soapy and Silky, the only people that could really identify Hannibal Heyes and Kid Curry were in the stable yesterday, and they all swore that you were Thaddeus Jones. No one's going to believe an embezzler and robber, over a long time resident and tax payer."

The judge closed the inquest proceedings yesterday by adding libel to the other charges against Carstairs. McIntyre's accomplice was remanded into Lom's custody. Sheriff Trevors rode out of Thunder Ridge with Carstairs in handcuffs. Lom took the former bank employee to the Porterville jail to await extradition on a variety of charges spanning nearly fifteen years.

"I always did wonder why the papers said we got so much money from robbing the Hanford Bank and Trust," mused Kid. "Do you reckon that was McIntyre and Carstairs then?"

"I'm wondering if McIntyre and Carstairs might have been thieving a whole lot longer," answered Heyes. "Do you remember the first train job we tried?"

"The one where Carstairs tried to shoot Kyle, but shot himself in the foot?"

"Yeah," nodded Heyes. "The papers said we took twenty thousand from that train, but we left before I opened the safe."

"You think that was McIntyre and Carstairs too?"

"Could be," shrugged Heyes. "With McIntyre being in charge of the banks bounty program, it sure explains why the bounty on us was raised so high. He kept everyone looking for us, and not looking at what he was doing."

The partner's exchanged a glance. The astronomically high rewards on their heads, especially the phrase "Dead or Alive" added after the Hanford job, had made their dangerous lives even more precarious.

"We've been trying for amnesty now almost as long as we were outlawing," said Kid. "It sure would be nice if the governor would let the trying for amnesty time cancel out the outlawing time."

Heyes tried to calculate the time spent outlawing. Kid might be almost even, but Heyes had been with the Plummer gang before Kid was released from Valparaiso. Did the time in the home for wayward boys count as punishment time? If so, they had both done more than their share of penance.

"Governor's haven't done anything for us," declared Heyes. "Lom was right about us needing to hedge our bets. I think it's time we do something for ourselves."

Kid sat down on the bed and began to pull on his boots. The blond huffed in disbelief at Heyes' next words.

"Thaddeus Jones and Joshua Smith are now legally recognized as fine upstanding citizens of Thunder Ridge," continued Heyes as he walked over to the window and looked out across the tiny town. "They even planted a tree in the town green."

"Do you mean the Christmas tree?" snorted Kid.

-x-x-x-x-x-x

_Christmas 1880_

_"I thought you said no more good deeds," reminded Kid._

_"It's Christmas Kid," grinned Heyes. "We can make an exception this once."_

_The partners trudged up the snow covered mountainside towards Clarence's cabin. Heyes finally stopped in front of a large evergreen._

_"This one," said Heyes._

"_This tree?" asked Kid in disbelief. "It's huge. Mrs. Henderson just asked for a Christmas tree. Why this particular one?"_

"_Yes, this tree," answered Heyes as he swung the axe. The sharp blade thunked into the side of the pine. "You can't see Thunder Pass from Clarence's front door because of this tree."_

_"Ahh," nodded Kid, "so it's not exactly a good deed then."_

_"It's a good deed," huffed Heyes. "It's just good for a lot of different reasons!"_

_A short while later, the strong blond took the axe from Heyes and Kid took his turn at chopping._

"_Do you ever think we'll need to see the pass from Clarence's porch?" asked Kid._

"_You never know Kid," answered Heyes, "but it doesn't hurt to be prepared."_

_The former outlaws dragged the evergreen down the snowy ridge to the center of town. The blacksmith and the undertaker came out to help them mount the huge tree on two boards nailed into the base in a crisscross pattern. With much heaving and pulling and stones placed around the base, the huge tree soon stood erect, ready for decorating. The other adults in the community came outside carrying garland, ornaments, and even more importantly, hot toddies._

"_Oh, my grandchildren will be so excited to see this in the morning," gushed Mrs. Henderson in appreciation._

_Kid huffed once more before he straightened up and accepted the proffered drink._

"_Maybe you should plant an evergreen here in the spring," suggested Kid, "so you don't have to chop one down every Christmas."_

"_That's a wonderful idea!" exclaimed the owner of the boarding house. Mrs. Henderson continued, "Thank you so much for offering!"_

"_Huh?"_

-x-x-x-x-x-x

"Yeah, the Christmas tree," nodded Heyes. "We planted it when the ground started thawing, just before we went to Buckton."

The former outlaw leader looked out the window. The large evergreen to the left stood in the center of a little garden square. While the little tree had shot up in the last several years, the small town of Thunder Ridge had grown slowly. A new home for Mrs. Henderson's son and his family made for five buildings in town. Framing for the new school was expected to begin before the new school teacher arrived at the end of the month. The graveyard now held four graves. Mrs. Henderson's last two husbands, their old friend Kid's pseudo-uncle Clarence Jones, and the new grave of Mr. Henry P. McIntyre, bank auditor, suspected embezzler and robber.

"You heard the judge," added Heyes. Funny to think how planting that little evergreen sprout weighed in the judge's opinion. The tree tipped the balance in their favor. Judge Rufus Bean had slammed the gavel down and ordered Carstairs to be quiet. "Planting a tree is something a person does when they plan on staying awhile. Not something an outlaw would do."

Was it merely the symbolic putting down of roots? Or something more? Kid joined Heyes at the window. Blue eyes glanced from the evergreen at the left, to the gnarled old oak on the far right of the boarding house. A tall blonde woman from Texas sat on the swing in the early morning light. Matt held one of the fallen oak leaves in her hand and spun it over and over.

"It's like that story we read in Clem's book by that fellow Poe, the Purloined Letter," continued Heyes. "Kid Curry and Hannibal Heyes hide in plain sight."

Heyes noted that his partner's eyes settled on Matt. The blonde woman was still something of a mystery to Heyes, but the genius knew his partner trusted and cared for the Texan. And while Heyes might not always trust Matt, he did trust Kid. His partner's instincts had seldom been wrong, Grace Turner being one of the few notable exceptions.

"Thaddeus Jones and Joshua Smith stay in Thunder Ridge," stated Heyes. "At least for now."

"Alright _Joshua_," agreed Kid somewhat distractedly. "For now."

Heyes nodded in the direction of the woman sitting on the swing. Hiding in plain sight, settling down, could also allow Thaddeus Jones and Joshua Smith to have a life, not just an existence. They could plan careful clandestine visits to family in Cheyenne and friends in Denver, and maybe something more. The mastermind decided now was the time to be blunt.

"What's going on between you and Matt?" asked Heyes.

"Nothin'," replied Kid.

Eyebrows raised above dark brown eyes. That was the same answer Kid had given yesterday, but the woman had traveled all the way from Texas when she thought Kid was killed. Matt Markham as she now called herself, stayed in Thunder Ridge to help tend the injured gunman. Heyes smiled a little at the remembrance of Matt's efforts to get his unconscious cousin to awaken.

"Did you know Matt's divorce came through?" asked Heyes.

The tall young blonde woman had hired Smith and Jones to take her across the Sangre de Cristo Mountains. It was only later that the partners found out that Matt was bent on killing Jake Tattersall, her outlaw husband, for the murder of her father. Tattersall was now serving a life sentence in Nevada.

"Where you been Heyes?" asked Kid in a sharp tone. "That happened last year."

"Hmmm, I musta missed that somehow," replied Heyes quietly. The former outlaw leader kept his eyes firmly looking forward as he added, "A woman travels all the way from Texas just to see you; it must mean something."

"It don't mean nothing," repeated Kid stubbornly. "She thought I was dead."

Kid had been unconscious when Matt arrived. Heyes knew Kid found the woman easy to talk to and had once tried to teach Matt to dance. When Kid regained consciousness, Matt and Kid had shared a kiss. Yesterday Kid wrapped his arms around Matt to comfort her during the onset of a frightening storm. Heyes' tall blond partner was always deferential to the ladies, but it wasn't like Kid to deny an interest in a woman. What was going on?

"Kissing usually means something," continued Heyes with a smirk. And calling a woman like Matt by a nickname _Mattie _as Kid had done yesterday, that might meant something more. "Some people might be asking you about your intentions towards the lady."

"Ain't got any intentions. Matt already married an outlaw once," stated Kid as he crossed his arms across his chest. "I don't reckon she's interested in repeating the mistake twice."

Brown eyebrows went up again. Oh. Kid's comment told Heyes something. His cousin's body language told Heyes more. Did Kid think Matt wasn't interested? Remembering the argument between Clem and Matt upon Matt's arrival, Heyes prodded once more.

"Do you know Matt told Mrs. Henderson she was your fiancé?" asked Heyes.

Kid's blue eyes blinked. Heyes lips curled up in a small smile. Kid didn't have many tells and he very seldom did anything as obvious as blink. Heyes knew his information had surprised his cousin.

"Excuse me Heyes... _Joshua_," corrected Kid, "I think I'm gonna have a little talk with Matt."

"Before breakfast?" teased Heyes. "We're supposed to eat with Aunt Katie, Henry and his family before they leave to go back to Cheyenne. And if Jenny and the boys are gonna stay in Thunder Ridge…"

But his partner was already out of the room, Heyes continued to stare out the window. It was a few moments before the front door of the boarding house swung open. Kid strode down the porch steps and marched across the open yard towards the tall woman. Heyes wasn't entirely sure what he hoped would come of Kid and Matt's encounter.

"Kid, this could be the start of something!"

-x-x-x-x-x-x


	2. Fine Upstanding Citizens

Disclaimer: Alias Smith and Jones does not belong to me. This is fan fiction, not for profit.

Any references to people, places, businesses, etc. are entirely fictitious.

A/N – story presumes the details on the wanted posters are not entirely accurate. Story exists in the same story verse as Kid Plans, South By Southeast, and Trouble In Texas but should also stand alone.

Fine Upstanding Citizens

-x-x-x-x-x-x

"Aunt Katie," greeted Heyes.

The former outlaw's dark brown eyes lit up with pleasure to see the older woman enter Mrs. Henderson's dining room. Heyes quickly stood up and pulled a chair out for her.

"Good morning Joshua," smiled the gray haired woman as she sat down beside his vacant chair. She reached out and patted the slender hand still resting on the back of her chair. "I hate to be leaving so soon, but we will be departing to meet the Cheyenne train after breakfast. Will you and your partner be joining us for the ride back to Porterville?"

Heyes glanced at the other boarder sitting at the far end of the long dining table. If Doctor Neville Beauregard hadn't been in the room, Heyes and Aunt Katie could have spoken freely, but for now, the pair played their agreed upon roles. Yesterday the family had decided, Joshua Smith would be distant relative of Aunt Katie's husband. They attributed the variant spelling of Smythe versus Smith to a clerical error due to Joshua's branch of the family arriving in the United States by way of Virginia, while the Smythe branch arrived later from England via Philadelphia.

"My partner Thaddeus should be joining us for breakfast shortly," answered Heyes with a dimpled smile, "but he won't be able to make the ride…"

Beauregard's head jerked up at the mention of his patient. Heyes eyed the fussy little man with distaste. Kid, supporting Lom by acting as temporary deputy last week, had been seriously injured. While the doctor had adequately bandaged bullet wounds and wrapped cracked ribs, the doc hadn't done a thing for Kid's head injury. Beauregard seemed content to merely wait and see if Kid would regain consciousness.

"Oh no," agreed Beauregard. "Mr. Jones shouldn't go riding for at least a month."

"Why?" demanded Heyes. "I thought you said Thaddeus was getting better."

The former outlaw rose from his chair and faced the medical man. The partner's had agreed yesterday that they weren't going to ride into Porterville with the Curry family. It would be safer for all the Curry's if Henry and his family maintained a public distance from Thaddeus Jones, but Heyes wanted to know if there was a medical reason his partner shouldn't ride.

"I am better," insisted Kid. The tall blond man strode through the doorway into the dining room, stopping in front of Beauregard. Kid rocked back on his heels as he tucked his thumbs into his belt, almost as if he were readying for a gunfight. "What are you talking about Doc?"

"Bones take time to heal!" exclaimed the chubby gray haired man. The doctor gestured towards Kid's chest. "Don't tell me you feel fine. I know better!"

The doctor raised his hand and pointed to Kid's head. Curly blond hair covered the still tender spot where the fence post had thumped Kid's skull. The cracked ribs were a minor injury in comparison.

"Jones, if you fall off a horse, you could break one of those ribs or hit your head again…" began Beauregard.

"I don't usually fall off a horse…," huffed Kid.

"Thaddeus wasn't planning on riding anywhere today," interrupted Heyes smoothly. "We're both staying in Thunder Ridge to start work on the new school building. Right Thaddeus?"

The slender dark haired man clasped his partner on the shoulder. Heyes gestured towards the seat beside him. Kid sat down. Heyes tried his best to look like a fine, upstanding, tree planting, school building, civic minded citizen, as he resumed his seat. Last winter, Heyes had volunteered to teach Mrs. Henderson's two oldest grandchildren their letters, but the growing community had more school age children this year.

"Yeah Joshua," agreed Kid. A gentle smile spread across Kid face as he started naming the prospective students. "Walter and Louisa already know their letters. Emily Henderson, along with the Cole twins, Parker and Preston, will be starting first grade. Plus the five children from the new homesteaders on the other side of the ridge makes for at least ten students."

Heyes had successfully convinced the other adults in town to provide funding for the new construction. The brilliant man asserted that the town's bright children needed the guidance of a professional teacher, not just his meagre efforts. The former outlaw leader hoped he didn't look like a man who was totally terrified at the prospect of facing ten children between the ages of six and ten.

"Construction work is dangerous!" squawked Beauregard indignantly. "Framing and climbing on scaffolding…"

"Don't worry. We're just building a one room school house with sleeping quarters for the teacher in back," Kid cut him off with a sour tone. "We got lots of help. I ain't gonna fall or get bashed in the head again."

Mary Moira skipped into the room at that moment, followed by her mother carrying little Owen. Henry Curry limped into the dining room after his family.

"Pshaw, nobody ever listens to medical advice," muttered Beauregard. "You should at least take a hot soak bath for those ribs."

"A hot soak bath?" asked Kid. Bright blue eyes sparkled at that idea. "Before or after working on the building?"

"Suit yourself about the bath," grumped the doctor. The gray haired man pushed back his chair and stood up to leave the dining room, "but no horse riding for a month! That's an order!"

The medical man stopped at the doorway and backed up. Jenny Black, self-proclaimed mother to Thaddeus Jones, sauntered into the room followed by Matt Markham. Jenny ruffled Kid's curly hair affectionately before sitting down beside him. Matt flashed a bright smile before seating herself in the chair opposite Kid. Heyes called out to Beauregard as the plump man moved away once more.

"Hey Doc, there's something I've been wondering. Are you related to a doctor named Chauncey Beauregard?" called Heyes.

"Never heard of anybody named Chauncey Beauregard. There aren't many doctors in the territory, I would remember one with my surname," groused the medical man. "Are you sure he's a doctor?"

"No," murmured Heyes under his breath as the man disappeared down the corridor. "I'm pretty sure Chauncey Beauregard wasn't a real doctor. What about Neville Beauregard? Are you a real doctor?"

-x-x-x-x-x-x

"Jenny's son Billy was murdered a few years ago," answered Heyes. "We've known her for years, and she's always had a soft spot for Kid. I guess that's why she's staying to help. Billy sorta looked a bit like Kid."

The dark haired man held Aunt Katie's elbow as he helped her up into the buggy. After breakfast at Mrs. Henderson's boarding house, the partners had taken their new found relatives up the ridge to see the one room cabin in which they lived. The sheltered older woman was still asking questions about their lives and their friends.

"Jed," corrected Aunt Katie. Her green eyes crinkled as she looked up the slope to see Kid riding Mary Moira on his shoulders as the pair made their way down towards the buggy. "But you should get in the habit of using Thaddeus."

"Aunt Katie, don't make any mistake about us. We ain't been those innocent little boys Ma used to write to you about," reminded Heyes. "We did a lot of wrong doing. We are Kid Curry and Hannibal Heyes, and Kid Curry and Hannibal Heyes are bad men."

"You were, but you stopped thieving, and tried for amnesty. Now you are Thaddeus Jones and Joshua Smith," reminded Aunt Katie. The gray haired woman tilted her head quizzically and asked, "Why? Why did you stop outlawing?"

Dark brown eyes looked up at his mother's younger sister. A better question might be why they had started outlawing. Heyes remembered telling his partner once that after seeing what the marauding soldiers had done, it didn't seem as if what they were doing to survive was all that bad. At the time, there seemed no hope for any better way to survive. Why the partners stopped outlawing was a much easier question to answer. Hope.

"Kid said we needed to get out of the outlaw business," replied Heyes with a tight smile. "When we ran the Devil's Hole Gang, he was in charge of security. When Kid says it's time to get out, we go."

Amnesty was once a hope thought Heyes, but now, their survival depended upon taking the identities of Thaddeus Jones and Joshua Smith permanently. The older woman settled herself into the back seat of the buggy. then Aunt Katie leaned forward and reached for the front chest pocket of his black shirt. The woman's trembling fingers slid a treasured photograph into Heyes' pocket. Aunt Katie looked into Heyes startled brown eyes.

"Remember, God forgives," reminded Aunt Katie in a soft voice. "Even if the governor doesn't."

The front door of Mrs. Henderson's boarding house swung open and slammed shut behind Doc Beauregard. The plump, gray haired man settled himself on the porch rocker within hearing distance. Beyond the big building, Heyes could see a rider approaching down the trail from Thunder pass. The time for private conversations was over. At about the same time, Kid arrived at the buggy with Mary Moira.

"Whoa Thaddeus," giggled the child.

"Here you are," chuckled Kid. The muscular blond turned to swing the laughing child up onto the seat beside her grandmother. "Next time you visit, we'll see if we can get you on a real horse."

Heyes glanced up the slope. Red haired cousin Eileen carried baby Owen past the evergreen growing in the town's central garden square. Her voluminous skirt snagged on the bright red Indian Paintbrush growing wild that surrounded the tree the partners had planted long ago. Mrs. Henderson's carefully tended white daisies drooped nearby in the late summer heat. Kid's older brother Henry, further behind Eileen, limped slowly down the steep trail.

"Let me help you," said Heyes.

The former outlaw extended his arm to the beautiful red head. Eileen passed the squirming little boy to Kid before Heyes assisted her into the buggy.

"We will be coming to Cheyenne when my partner is able to travel," continued Heyes. "I have to purchase the books for the school and Thaddeus has business with your husband."

Kid already had a professional relationship with Henry Curry. Unbeknownst to both brothers, Thaddeus Jones had been ordering gun repair and reloading supplies from Henry's Cheyenne business _Finest Firearms_, for quite some time now, but Henry's clerk had always signed off on the invoices. Eileen Smythe Curry flashed a dimpled smile at her cousins as Kid handed Owen up to her.

"Mr. Jones," urged Eileen, with a cautious glance at the man seated on the porch, "I hope you do accept Henry's offer to become a distributor for Colt products."

"Mrs. Curry I might do that," nodded Kid. With a gesture towards the corner of Uriah Cole's stable where Kid's workbench sat, Kid added, "Right now though, I only have a bit of room to work on gun repair. If there is a need for a firearms distributor in Thunder Ridge, I'll have to get some more space, set up a real shop."

"Cheyenne is a much larger town," acknowledged Eileen. The redhead smiled at Kid and Matt. "Thunder Ridge appears to be growing, and you might find your services needed beyond town lines."

Heyes nodded in agreement. The addition of Doc Beauregard, Matt, Jenny, and their old gang members nearly doubled the adult population of the tiny town. And Thaddeus Jones was known to be able to repair any type of gun, no matter how old.

"People already know to bring their weapons to Thaddeus," smiled Heyes.

Henry finally reached the buggy. The former Union cavalry messenger turned to shake hands first with his brother. No hugs in public. Henry's blue eyes watched his brother depart, before he turned to Heyes. The tall blond man extended his hand in farewell.

"I hate to leave so soon," murmured Henry in a low voice. "I've only just now got you both back."

"Business as usual," reminded Heyes in an even lower whisper as he glanced back to the porch. Doc Beauregard appeared to be nodding his head in the late morning sunshine, but Heyes wouldn't take a chance on the man being asleep. "Remember, you're no relation to Thaddeus Jones. When Kid's ready to travel, we'll both come to Cheyenne. We'll stay at the hotel on Seventeenth Street."

"You could stay with us," urged Henry. "Do we really have to be so cautious?"

"The Bannerman detective agency is more active in this part of Wyoming," explained Heyes, "but the Pinkerton's have an office in Cheyenne. We don't want to take a chance on anything like what happened to the James family..."

Heyes voice trailed off as he remembered the horrific newspaper reports. The Pinkerton raid on the James family home years ago had been an assault by supposedly good, law abiding citizens. The explosion and fire resulted in killing Jesse's nine year old half-brother and permanently maiming the outlaw's mother.

"That happened over twelve years ago and the Pinkerton's used extreme measures because the James-Younger gang were murderers," hissed Henry. "You and Jed never did anything violent. And didn't you say no one's looking for you these days?"

Heyes ran a hand through his dark brown hair and gazed at his older cousin in exasperation. The former outlaw certainly hoped no one was looking for Kid Curry and Hannibal Heyes, but he couldn't really be sure. Didn't Henry understand that?

"Looking or not, we won't take a chance of endangering all of you," replied Heyes. "Pinkerton's are dangerous. Bannerman detectives… not so much."

"Do you have much experience with Bannerman detectives?" asked Henry.

"A bit," replied Heyes with a shrug. Harry Briscoe might be the most inept Bannerman detective agent in the state of Wyoming, but he was also a friend. Sort of. "The one we've met isn't dangerous."

"Speaking of dangerous," responded Henry with a glance towards the men gathering at the site of the planned schoolhouse, "what about those men? Jesse James was killed by a member of his own gang."

Heyes followed his older cousin's blue eyed gaze. Wheat, Kyle, Lobo and Preacher stood contemplating the logs, posts and boards readied for the school. Although the boys had done a passable job shingling the partner's cabin, it looked as if they might need more direction on school building.

"Them?" laughed Heyes. "No way. We never let anyone stay in the gang that we couldn't trust. They would never deliberately do anything to harm us."

Heyes decided now was not the time to tell his cousin about some of the things the gang had done by accident.

"I just don't want all our meetings to be business related," whispered Henry. "We're family. We should be able to act like family."

Family. What a wonderful word. Kid and Heyes had decided long ago in Valparaiso that it was safer if no one knew they were related. Until yesterday, only Clem and Matt had known the partners were also cousins. Now Jenny knew as well. Heyes nodded in agreement with Henry's words. After such a long separation, they all needed to be a family again.

"We really do have business in Cheyenne and it would be great to see all of you then. There is also another option. You could meet us at the Bar T horse auction at the end of next month," suggested Heyes. "We've been going to those folks for years, and Mary Moira surely needs a horse."

"Been going there for years?" questioned Henry in a low hiss. "Do they call you Hannibal Heyes? Or Joshua Smith?"

The blue eyed man raised an eyebrow and glanced to the buggy's rear seat. Mary Moira played patty cake with Owen. The strawberry blonde couldn't have heard the whispered conversation between Heyes and her father. The child had been told yesterday her new found relatives were to be called Thaddeus and Joshua, no matter what other _nicknames_ she might hear.

"Actually, the folks at the Bar T think I'm someone named Norton P. Terwilliger," grinned Heyes.

"I'm beginning to understand how you two managed to evade capture all these years," replied Henry as he rolled his blue eyes. "Are there any other alias names I should know about?"

"Do you want a list?" asked Heyes.

Henry shook his head with a rueful smile. The tall man leaned closer.

"We'll see Smith and Jones when you both come to Cheyenne," affirmed Henry. "And if I can figure out how to explain Norton to Mary Moira, we'll plan on going to the Bar T horse auction. Terwilliger can introduce us to his partner then."

Henry climbed laboriously up into the buggy. The man on the porch snorted and shook his head. Doc Beauregard slammed the boarding house door as he went back inside. The blond man picked up the reins and turned back to his younger cousin. A private moment now allowed Kid's older brother to say what he wanted.

"Thanks for taking care of my brother all these years," said Henry. Blue eyes blinked in the bright morning sun, or maybe it was from something else. "I just wish I had been able to take care of your brother as well."

"We take care of each other," responded Heyes. The dark haired man gulped as he remembered Ptol.

-x-x-x-x-x-x

_In early spring 1863, a telegram arrived. Ptolemy had been wounded and sent to the army hospital at Keokuk, Iowa. _

"_Moira," called Uncle Owen's soft voice._

_Han looked up as his mother's older brother entered the Heyes home. The slightly built woman's chaotic scrambling stopped. Boxes and baskets frantically stuffed with bedding, cooking utensils, food, everything necessary for the dangerous journey to Iowa lay scattered throughout the tiny home. The auburn haired man was followed by tiny Aunt Mary, Han's cousins and Grampa Curry._

"_Arthur's finished hitching the horses," explained Uncle Owen. The tall man brushed back a loose red curl dangling down beside his sister's sweaty, tear streaked face before he picked up the largest of the boxes. "Let me take that."_

_As everyone else started carrying boxes and baskets outside to the wagon, Aunt Mary wrapped her arms around Moira's shoulders. Han's blonde Aunt squeezed her sister-in-law tight._

"_We'll be glad to watch over Han and Cleo," offered the tiny blue eyed woman._

"_No," Han's mother replied. Moira blinked her hazel eyes rapidly. Han had never heard his mother sound so incoherent. "Ptolemy will want… they should… see their brother…" Moira hesitated a moment, then stated firmly, "I want the children with us."_

_The wagon was loaded. After much calling, Cleopatra Heyes finally came out of the barn holding a ginger cat. For the first time since the message arrived, Han saw his mother's lips curl up in a faint, fleeting smile._

"_But Ptol likes…" protested the nine year old girl as her dark haired father shook his head._

_A pair of dark brown eyes met another pair of dark brown eyes just like Han's own. The unspoken battle of wills between father and daughter continued. For a moment, it looked like Cleo was going to burst into tears. Han was standing close enough to hear his youngest cousin's words._

"_Cleo, can I please have Mister Whiskers to keep me company?" whispered eight year old Jed. The curly haired blond pleaded, "Else it will just be me, Grampa and Beulah here while you go to Iowa."_

_The cow and Grampa were both known to go to bed early. With a tiny nod, Han's little sister handed the cat to Jed. Aunt Mary squeezed her sister-in-law's hand goodbye. Han watched as Uncle Owen, Aunt Mary, and Jed's sisters turned to go back to the Curry homestead. Jed, Grandpa Curry, and the cow Beulah stayed by the fence railing on the Heyes homestead until Han couldn't see them anymore. That image stayed with Han until the Heyes family finally arrived in Keokuk._

"_Where is my son?" demanded Moira Curry Heyes once more._

_The small town situated between the Mississippi and the Des Moines rivers was crowded with soldiers. Healthy men departed to go south, to fight for the union. Wounded, broken men returned. The corporal, at this third ramshackle building designated as a hospital shelter, looked at the roster on the table before him and then pointed down the long row of cots._

"_Ma, Pa," croaked a gaunt dark haired young man. Han squinted in the lantern light. He barely recognized his older brother. "Han, Cleo… are you here to take me home? I want to go home."_

_The Heyes family stayed together in Keokuk for three days. _

"_Henry and I were together at first," said Ptol, his feverish eyes glittering brightly, "but in the army you have to do what you're told, go where you're told… and you know what a good rider Henry is… the captain got to sending him out for messenger work…"_

_Han dabbed the cloth gently across Ptolemy's forehead. The twelve year old listened, not telling that after Ptol and Henry ran away to join the army, he and Jed played at being soldiers for months. Back then, it all seemed so incredibly brave and heroic. Now…_

"_Henry got sent east," continued Ptol. The emaciated frame shuddered as the seventeen year old coughed. "Pennsylvania I think, maybe he'll get to see Aunt Katie and her family. Or go to Philadelphia."_

_The older boy exchanged a glance with Han. Matching dimpled grins acknowledged that their older cousin was a lucky man indeed. Both boys had heard their father tell stories of the wonderful city of Philadelphia. According to Arthur Heyes, the city was a magical place where a lonely history teacher met the most beautiful red haired woman in the entire world. _

_"Ptol," asked Han, "what happened? How did you get shot? What battle?"_

_"Twern't no battle," coughed Ptol. "Twas a deserter, a man from our own unit."_

_The third night, Ptolemy Heyes got his wish. The next morning, the Heyes family loaded up their wagon with __a government provided pine box to bring Ptol's body back to Kansas._

-x-x-x-x-x-x

"Henry, don't blame yourself, it wasn't your fault," insisted Heyes. "Ptol didn't blame you."

"I blame myself," replied Henry as he snapped the reins. "Ptol never would have joined the army if I hadn't."

Heyes leaned against the newly fixed fence railing. Dark brown eyes watched the rental buggy Henry drove turn up the trail to Thunder Pass. Henry waved a hand at the rider coming down the trail. Lom stopped for a moment. The lawman spoke briefly with the Curry family before the horses resumed their trot.

"What are you doing back here Lom?" muttered Heyes under his breath.

The big lawman rode up to Uriah Cole's stable. Lom dismounted and tethered his horse at the hitching post before turning slowly to join Heyes.

"Wasn't expecting to see you so soon Lom," greeted Heyes. The former outlaw looked closely at Lom. The broad brim of the lawman's hat shaded Lom's eyes, but Heyes could see purple bruising below his friend's left eye. "What happened to you?"

"Carstairs escaped," growled Lom.

"What? How?" asked Heyed incredulously. The obnoxious, middle-aged man in a black suit hardly seemed the type to escape from Lom's custody. "You had him in handcuffs when you left here. How did he get the drop on you?"

"Carstairs didn't get the drop on me," clarified Lom. "I had him locked up safely in the Porterville jail last night, but since Harker Wilkins retired, I don't have a deputy. I slept at the jail last night too."

"And?" coaxed Heyes.

"I woke up around dawn to see a woman enter the jail carrying a tray," explained Lom as he took off his hat, "I thought she was a new waitress from the diner."

Heyes winced in sympathy. The dark bruising around his friend's left eye extended up and across Lom's forehead. Lom shook his head ruefully.

"Shoulda known better, the diner ain't open that early," continued Lom. "She bashed me up side of my head with a milk pitcher. Knocked me out cold."

"A woman?"

"Yeah. She took my keys and let Carstairs out," continued Lom. "Together they musta dragged me into the cell. I woke up later locked inside."

Having locked up a few sheriffs and deputies in his own efforts at evading imprisonment over the years, Heyes could understand why the escapees might do that. Heyes gave a worried glance after his departing relatives.

"Do you know which way they went?" asked Heyes. "They could be coming back here."

"Don't worry," soothed the lawman. "According to Jason over at the livery, Carstairs and the woman hightailed it north. They're probably in Montana by now."

"Carstairs knows Kid by sight, and he knows where we live," fretted Heyes.

All Heyes' hopes and dreams for a somewhat normal life seemed to be going up in smoke. Had this idea of being Smith and Jones for the rest of their lives been what Kid had called it, a pipe dream?

"Don't worry," repeated Lom. The mustached face frowned. "This don't change anything, except add escape charges to the wanted poster I'm having printed up on Carstairs. That man ain't coming back here. He thinks Kid Curry has the law on his side."

"What do you mean?"

"Carstairs thinks I'm Hannibal Heyes," groused Lom. "He pulled out the old wanted poster and pinned it to my chest when he locked me inside my own cell."

Heyes burst out laughing.

"It ain't funny," protested Lom. "Just 'cause I got dark hair…"

-x-x-x-x-x-x

"No! You can't ask Kid. His ribs aren't healed yet," objected Heyes. "And Doc Beauregard said Kid shouldn't be riding for at least a month due to the head injury."

Lom and Heyes left the stable yard and walked towards the far end of the little town. Kid directed Wheat, Kyle, Lobo and Preacher as the men pulled ropes, lifting a section of framing upright. Uriah Cole and Lute Morrison began pounding nails as they braced the cross section. From the sounds of the hammering, the blacksmith was making better progress than the undertaker.

"Ow!" exclaimed Lute. The man looked at his battered thumb in dismay. "I ain't meant to be a carpenter!"

"You're doing fine," encouraged Kid as he tightened his grip on the rope, "better than I would do."

Lom stopped beneath the shade of the old oak tree beside Mrs. Henderson's boarding house. The big lawman crossed his arms over his chest as he assessed the scene before him.

"Kid looks alright," grumbled Lom. "It's just that I need a deputy, one that I can count on."

"I know you do, but not Kid," argued Heyes. At Lom's look, the slender man added, "and not me either. We're supposed to be laying low!"

"Yeah," agreed Lom as he nodded his head. "But laying low might not be so easy, Thaddeus Jones is getting a reputation."

"What do you mean?" asked Heyes.

Lom uncrossed his arms and reached inside his vest. The lawman handed Heyes a copy of the weekly _Porterville Press._ Reporter Wilkins had done as he promised. The newspaper had printed a full retraction of the erroneous account of Kid Curry being killed by Deputy Jones last week. Unfortunately, Harker Wilkin's nephew had also provided a very thorough report of yesterday's legal proceedings in Thunder Ridge, including the testimony that a man identified as Kid Curry was killed in Matherville a few years ago by Thaddeus Jones.

"The governor telegraphed me this morning," continued Lom. "Apparently the wire service reprinted parts of this article in Cheyenne."

"And what did the governor have to say?" Heyes groaned. He brushed his dark brown hair back from his eyes and gazed at Lom in concern. "Lom, we don't want you to get in trouble."

"If Governor Moonlight wants to think Kid Curry is dead and Hannibal Heyes has disappeared," replied Lom shaking his dark haired head. "I ain't in any hurry to tell him otherwise."

"Lom, what can we do to help?" asked Heyes.

"Ain't no trouble, don't need no help," insisted Lom. "Considering how long Governor Moonlight and all the previous governors have been stringing you boys along, I figure it's only fair if my reports take a while to get completed."

-x-x-x-x-x-x

Heyes stepped out on the porch of Mrs. Henderson's boarding house after supper. He glanced towards the site of the planned schoolhouse. A pair of western meadowlarks circled near the new school construction. This late in the season, if the new foundation had interfered with the birds old nesting site, it shouldn't do any major harm. Kid strode out onto the porch after him. The blond man leaned backwards arching his back.

"With everyone's help, we got the school house framing completed," stated Kid. "Wheat, Kyle, Lobo and Preacher plan to sleep at the school tonight to be up at first light."

"Just like a barn raising back in Kansas," smiled Heyes. Whether it was planning a robbery or building a school, the thrill of seeing a plan to completion was the same, and maybe even a little sweeter this time. "Tomorrow can finish up the walls and roof."

"Best not count on Lute," grinned Kid. "He's the only man I've ever seen worse than me with a hammer."

"How many times did he hit his thumb?" asked Heyes shaking his head.

"Dunno," replied the muscular blond man. Kid rolled his shoulders and stretched again, before adding. "I'm going up to the cabin for a hot soak bath. Think I'll sleep up there tonight."

"Yeah," agreed Heyes. "We should probably start watching our budget."

Usually, they only stayed at Mrs. Henderson's boarding house during the depths of winter. The woman gave a discount to long term boarders and if they played whist too, there was another discount. If they were in Thunder Ridge during good weather, both partners stayed in the cabin but this past week had been anything but normal.

"If the boys, or anyone else, is planning on staying through the winter," said Heyes cautiously, "maybe we should think about adding on another room to the cabin, maybe two, before the snow starts."

Kid froze. The blond man stared up the mountain without taking his eyes off the cabin. It was a long moment before the younger man spoke.

"Heyes, I'm tired and gonna take a hot bath. Then I'm gonna go to bed," replied Kid. "Let's wait until the school is finished before we start making plans to build anything else."

The slender man leaned back and crossed his arms thoughtfully as he watched his cousin depart.

"We're supposed to be building a life Kid."

-x-x-x-x-x-x

Heyes watched on the front porch until he saw his partner enter the cabin. By then the western sky was pink tinged with purple. Lantern light flared briefly in the window before Kid moved towards the back of the cabin. Heyes could picture Kid stoking up the cast iron wood stove. It would take a while for water to heat. The mastermind turned to enter the boarding house. It was time Heyes had a little talk with a tall blonde Texan.

"Here you are," greeted Heyes.

Matt stood at the kitchen sink. She dabbed a wet lace handkerchief against the back of her neck. Wavy blonde tendrils curled up on either side of her face as she turned her blue eyes to face Heyes. The former outlaw leaned one arm against the door frame and placed a hand on his hip as he regarded the woman.

"Was that your foot rubbing up along my leg under the table this morning at breakfast?" demanded Heyes.

"What?" squawked Matt. "That was you?"

The woman's face turned cherry red as she realized her mistake. Heyes tried to imagine how it must have seemed from her viewpoint across the table. Heyes scooted his chair backwards away from the roaming foot, while Kid asked Jenny to pass the butter. Heyes had no idea what his cousin had said to Matt this morning, but perhaps Matt felt rejected. As far as Heyes could tell, Matt and Kid hadn't said two words to each other the rest of the day. Matt had made a point of sitting far away from Kid at dinner and supper.

"My partner thinks you don't like outlaws," responded Heyes. He lowered his voice, "but we're not all like Jake Tattersall."

"Neither one of you are like Jake," agreed Matt. The flustered woman ran a slim hand through her blonde hair, pushing the wavy tendrils away from her long lashed blue eyes. "I thought… maybe I misunderstood… Jed… _Thaddeus_…"

"If you're interested in my partner you ought to tell him," suggested Heyes. "He thinks you're easy to talk to. I bet he would listen."

Matt straightened up. Her angular face took on a determined look.

"I will," stated Matt firmly. "Just as soon as I find him."

"Thaddeus went up to the cabin to take a hot soak bath," informed Heyes. "Doc Beauregard said it would help with the sore ribs."

There was a momentary silence as Matt digested this new information. Then the tall blonde woman smiled.

"Thaddeus will probably need someone to help scrub his back," replied Matt.

A dimpled grin spread across Heyes' face as he nodded in agreement. The woman pushed past Heyes and disappeared down the hallway. The dark haired man figured he didn't need to tell Matt about the long handled scrub brush in the cabin. At the other end of the corridor, Jenny stepped through the door to Mrs. Henderson's parlor.

"Mary Sue said you know how to play whist. She and Neville both play. Would you be a fourth at cards tonight?" called Jenny.

Heyes straightened up and walked towards Jenny.

"Sure, I'll be glad to be your whist partner tonight," agreed Heyes, "but maybe we should see about teaching Mrs. Henderson and Doc Beauregard how to play poker."

The buxom blonde shook her head as Heyes reached her. She lowered her voice.

"I tried explaining the rules. Mary Sue doesn't really have a head for cards. Whist is the only game she knows," sighed Jenny. "So to balance things out, you're going to be Neville's whist partner."

-x-x-x-x-x-x


	3. Working on a Life

Disclaimer: Alias Smith and Jones does not belong to me. This is fan fiction, not for profit.

Any references to people, places, businesses, etc. are entirely fictitious.

A/N – story presumes the details on the wanted posters are not entirely accurate. Story exists in the same story verse as Kid Plans, South By Southeast, and Trouble In Texas but should also stand alone.

Working on a Life

-x-x-x-x-x-x

"Thank you, but no more whist for me tonight," said Heyes. He flashed a congenial smile at the three older adults seated around the table. "Work on the school house begins bright and early tomorrow morning."

"No more whist for me as well," agreed the chubby gray haired man.

Mrs. Henderson and Jenny looked disappointed, but Neville Beauregard looked as relieved as Heyes felt to finally escape the card game. The two men had been trounced. Jenny pulled the cards together and began to shuffle the deck as both men pushed their chairs back and rose to stand.

"Do you want to try learning blackjack? It's easier than poker," offered Jenny to Mrs. Henderson with a mischievous smile. "We can use matchsticks for betting."

"Blackjack might be more fun than whist," chuckled Doc Beauregard as he resumed his seat. "I'll stay a while longer."

-x-x-x-x-x-x

Heyes sauntered down the hallway towards the bedroom he and his partner shared at the boarding house. The former outlaw slowed as he realized that a glimmer of light shone beneath the doorway. His partner was at the cabin tonight, who was in his room? Heyes pulled the pistol from his holster. Twisting the doorknob, he pushed the door open. Kid sat in the chair beside the table.

"What are you doing here?" blurted out Heyes in surprise. "I thought…"

Kid's blue eyed glare stopped Heyes. Holstering his pistol, Heyes stepped into the room and pushed the door closed behind him. A small brush and a container of oil sat on the table between the lamp and Kid.

"I walked Mattie back to the boarding house. Stayed here 'cause I'm too tired to go back up," growled Kid. Strong hands ran a cloth over the barrel of the Colt he was cleaning. "Don't know what you were thinking sending her up to the cabin."

Huh? It was simple really, Heyes had thought that Kid and Mattie wanted to be together. Didn't they? But Kid was still talking.

"Had a hard time explaining to Mattie why she couldn't stay," murmured Kid, "especially when it's something we both want."

"What? Kid, why…?"

Heyes stopped speaking. He wasn't quite sure how to continue.

"_Joshua,_ how many women besides Mattie are in this town?" asked Kid in a soft voice.

"_Thaddeus,_ you know as well as I do how many women there are in Thunder Ridge."

"Name them," challenged the blond man.

"Mrs. Henderson, her daughter-in-law Felicity, Uriah's wife Arabella Cole, Jenny Black," started Heyes. He stopped. Brown eyes looked at Kid. "Are we counting Susan?"

Sixteen year old Susan was Mrs. Henderson's youngest child and only daughter. The first Christmas the partners spent at Thunder Ridge, the girl had been as enthralled by the Christmas tree the townsfolk had decorated as little Walter and baby Louisa. Heyes own mother had been married at sixteen, but it was hard for Heyes to think about the fair haired child that tagged after them then as a grown woman now. Reporter Wilkins evidently had no similar problems. Susan and Wilkins had been courting for some time now, which was how the reporter had been able to get the scoop on the events of last week.

"Yeah," nodded Kid. Then Heyes' partner restated the women by their marital status, "Married three times and a widow, married, married, married and a widow, and soon to be married."

"Huh?"

"This ain't a con. If we're really gonna live in Thunder Ridge, we have to _be_ part of the community," reminded Kid stressing the word be. "And that means more than just using an alias, planting a tree or building a school. We have to work together, share the values, fit in for the long term."

The strategist smiled ruefully as he understood what his partner meant. Trying for amnesty had been harder than being an outlaw. Living in Thunder Ridge would have it's own dangers and being fine, upstanding citizens was going to be more work than trying for amnesty.

"If Mattie is gonna stay here too, I don't want anyone treating her like a doxy," continued Kid. The fast draw frowned at Heyes. "Especially not you."

Doxy. It had been a long time since Heyes had heard that word. Kid was fond of the ladies and always treated women with deference. Some ill-mannered lout once used that word to describe a woman in Wildwood that Kid saw on a regular basis. That was the first time Heyes realized that Kid was as fast with his fists as he was with a handgun.

"Whoa! Wait a minute Kid," exclaimed Heyes forcefully, "I was just trying to help. I thought you both wanted to be together."

"_Joshua, _that's twice now you've called me Kid," admonished Kid with a teasing smile that was offset by the seriousness in his blue eyes. Kid set down the polishing cloth, "I've asked you before not to call me by that childish nickname. We're all grown up now."

All grown up? That phrase reminded Heyes of another conversation long ago.

-x-x-x-x-x-x

_Han remembered a sunny spring day in 1860. Han's father would normally ride the children home from school in the wagon, but the school master had to stay late today for a meeting with the schoolboard. Their sisters had continued walking on the well-travelled path, while the boys cut through the meadow, clambering over fence rails and running through the tall grasses. _

"_Do you really want to be a lawyer?" asked young Jed as the boys slowed to climb another fence. "I thought you wanted to be a teacher."_

"_That was last year's essay," answered Han. The ten year old asked, "How did you know about that?"_

_Han's father, Arthur Heyes, assigned the same essay to his students every spring, but this was Jed's first year at school, so Han was surprised at his cousin's remark._

"_Know about what?" asked the curly haired first grader. Jed jumped down into the pasture._

"_About my essay last year," replied Han as he followed his cousin. _

_Han wasn't going to make the same mistake this time. Last year, the older boys teased him unmercifully about his response to the assignment, "What do you want to be when you grow up?"_

"_Don't know about your essay last year," replied the six year old. "Just thought you wanted to be a teacher like Uncle Arthur."_

"_Well I don't," insisted Han. Then curiosity caused him to ask, "What do you want to be Jed?"_

"_Just like Pa," responded Jed confidently. Then with a glance at the approaching mare. "But maybe a better rider, like Henry."_

-x-x-x-x-x-x

"And I don't need your help with Mattie or any other lady," continued Kid.

"I'm sorry," apologized Heyes. "Didn't think you needed any help, but Matt seemed a bit confused..."

"Don't be sorry," grinned Kid. Blue eyes now twinkled as he holstered his shining pistol. "Mattie and I had a real good talk. We both know what we want outta this life."

"What do you want?" asked Heyes curiously.

"I want what Pa had with Ma," replied Kid.

Heyes raised an eyebrow. The dark haired man remembered how his Uncle Owen's green eyes would light up every time Aunt Mary walked into the room, just like his own father's eyes glowed when Heyes' mother appeared. Was Matt the woman to do that for Kid?

"Do you now? And what does Matt want?" pressed Heyes.

"Me," replied Kid with a cocky grin.

Heyes swallowed. The Kansan would be hard pressed to think of a woman more unlike Aunt Mary. Aunt Mary had been a soft spoken, sweet woman. The tiny blonde Englishwoman made jams, jellies, and better cookies than Heyes' own mother, although Heyes would never say that last part out loud. Kid might not want Matt to get a reputation, but the truth was the tall blonde woman had run off with Jake Tattersall. And Matt had been eager enough to scrub Kid's back tonight.

"And for that to happen, Mattie needs to be part of this community too," continued Kid. "She don't need a reputation as someone that runs off in the night to a man's cabin. She's gonna need those women to like her, to be her friends."

Heyes gulped once more. He doubted any of the women in town would ever be deliberately unkind to Mattie, but he was through trying to play Cupid for his cousin. Now would be a good time to change the subject.

"Speaking of reputations," started Heyes, "I don't think I had the chance to tell you what Lom said earlier today…"

-x-x-x-x-x-x

Three weeks later, Thaddeus Jones and Joshua Smith rode the afternoon stage out of Thunder Ridge. With the arrival of more people in the tiny town, stage service was now coming every Tuesday. The town had a weekly mail run and received a complimentary copy of the _Porterville Press_ courtesy of Reporter Wilkins. Today, the partners were the only outbound passengers so they each took a seat and tilted their hats down over their eyes intending to rest, but the jolting contrivance made sleep difficult. Heyes finally pushed his black hat back up.

"What is it _Joshua_?" asked Kid.

Afternoon sunlight reflected off the silver conchos on Heyes hatband and bounced light across his partner's red shirt.

"Thought you were sleeping Kid," replied Heyes.

"_Thaddeus_," reminded Kid. "And I can't sleep when you're staring at me."

Heyes was staring at his partner, although how Kid knew that when his hat was pulled down over his eyes was something Heyes didn't understand. The younger man's neatly trimmed whiskers were nothing like the bushy beard Kid had sported when they mined gold with Seth so long ago. But was it really enough to keep anyone from recognizing Kid? Going to Porterville to catch the train to Cheyenne was their first trip out of Thunder Ridge since the newspaper stories of Kid Curry's demise. Heyes was as antsy as if they were going out to rob the train, not just ride it.

"The school building was finished quite a while ago," said Kid conversationally as he straightened up in the opposite seat. Kid pushed his brown hat back up. "But it's still empty."

"We'll get the books in Cheyenne. Desks and the stove won't be arriving until the end of the week," replied Heyes. "If we're lucky, we can ride back to Thunder Ridge on the freight wagon when we get back. Otherwise we'll have to wait."

"Wouldn't have to wait if we rode horses," grumbled Kid.

"Doctor's orders," reminded Heyes with a dimpled smile.

Heyes still wasn't sure about Doc Beauregard's medical expertise, but keeping his partner off a horse for a while longer couldn't hurt. When Kyle had fallen off the school roof finishing the last of the shingles, the chubby gray haired man had fashioned an adequate splint for the little outlaw's leg. But Beauregard mainly seemed to spend his time napping in the rocker on Mrs. Henderson's front porch. A town the size of Thunder Ridge didn't usually have a doctor. Why was Beauregard there?

"Has the town hired a school teacher yet?" asked Kid.

"Not yet," grumbled Heyes. "Who would have thought it would be this hard to find a teacher?"

"It's August," answered Kid. "Most of the teachers have already got positions lined up. Mrs. Henderson and Arabella shoulda hired the lady that came last week for the interview."

"She fell asleep!" exclaimed Heyes, "During the interview! I couldn't let them hire her."

"Maybe you shouldn't ask such boring questions," chuckled Kid. Then his face turned serious. "You know, Thunder Ridge ain't Devil's Hole, Mrs. Henderson and Arabella aren't your gang."

"Kid, I'm just one member of the hiring committee," agreed Heyes with a dimpled smile. "And I know I'm not running Thunder Ridge."

"_Thaddeus,_" reminded Kid.

"We're all alone _Thaddeus_," replied Heyes with a nod. Then with a look in the direction of Porterville, the older Kansan added, "If anybody asks, you're still healing from the injuries you suffered during the shootout with McIntyre."

"Yeah, yeah," groused Kid as he recited the story the partners had agreed upon, "my shooting arm will probably never be the same and if anyone brings up Danny…"

"Kid Curry," corrected Heyes.

His partner shot him a baleful glare.

"I'm lucky to be alive," continued Kid in a monotone. "The gunslinger in Matherville, whoever he was, would have shot me dead if he'd been wearing a regular holster."

"That ought to be good enough to discourage anyone from trying to call Thaddeus Jones out," concluded Heyes in satisfaction.

Blue eyes gazed back at Heyes. Kid leaned back in the seat again and crossed his ankles.

"Heyes, you worry too much."

"_Joshua_," reminded Heyes with a dimpled grin.

"Wake me up when we get to Porterville," said Kid pulling down the brown hat, "and quit staring."

-x-x-x-x-x-x

"Lom?" called Heyes as he stepped into the sheriff's office.

Wheat looked up from Lom's desk as Kid followed Heyes inside the stuccoed building. Lom had come back to Thunder Ridge again, still in need of a deputy, but the second time the lawman hadn't asked for Kid or Heyes. _"Wheat?" asked Heyes. "He's a good shot," reminded Lom, "The only known outlawing the gang has done since you boys went straight is to try and rob the train from Brimstone once._ _ I trust him, and he can't be any worse than Harker." _ Heyes still wasn't quite sure of that, although he had to admit Wheat scrubbed up pretty well.

"How's Kyle?" asked Wheat as he rose to stand. The former outlaw looked downright respectable in his clean blue shirt and black trousers.

"Kyle's fine, he's got Lobo and Preacher waiting on him hand and foot when they're not working on the cabin," chuckled Heyes. "How are you doing Wheat?"

"Deputy Carlsen," reminded Wheat. "And I'm fine."

The burly former outlaw had surprised Heyes by agreeing to Lom's job offer. Wheat shaved off his bushy moustache, stood tall with a military bearing and said he would use his real name. _"Ain't nobody gonna think of an old outlaw called Wheat when Corporal Johannes Carlsen is standing in front of them." _

"Glad to hear that Deputy," smiled Heyes.

Learning that Johannes Carlsen had been a member of the First Minnesota Volunteers wasn't quite such a surprise. Heyes had long thought that Wheat, Kyle, Preacher and Lobo must have been in the army during the Civil War. _"Couldn't go home afterwards," sighed Wheat. "Couldn't face telling Martha and Ma that Dan, Harald and Isak were dead. I promised Martha to watch out for her little brother, I promised Ma... I was the oldest…"_

"Where's Lom?" asked Kid.

"He went to the train station to see you boys off," answered Wheat. "What are you doing here?"

"We came to see Lom," answered Heyes. "The train doesn't leave until six."

"Schedule changed," informed Deputy Carlsen. With a knowing glance at the clock on the wall, Wheat added, "You boys better hurry if you're gonna go to Cheyenne tonight."

-x-x-x-x-x-x

The conductor was shouting, _"First call, all aboard!"_ when Heyes and Kid arrived at the station. The engine rumbled and smoked puffed out of the stack.

"Lom," huffed Heyes.

"Boys," nodded the lawman as Lom looked from Heyes to Kid. "Hmmph, whiskers?"

People moved past the three men towards the passenger car.

"Yeah," panted Kid. The blond man took a deep breath and added, "Any news about Carstairs? And that woman?"

"Or from the governor?" asked Heyes.

Lom shook his head.

"No. You best get on the train if you're going to Cheyenne tonight," urged the lawman. "When you get back, stop by my office. There's a Bannerman detective in town asking questions."

The conductor shouted _"All aboard!"_

"A Bannerman detective?" asked Heyes. "He wouldn't be a thin man with a mustache…"

"Sorta clumsy," added Kid, "named Harry Briscoe."

The conductor shouted _"Last call! All aboard!"_ Lom walked towards the end of the train, making a shooing motion with his hands as the partners clambered aboard the entryway to the last car.

"Maybe, sounds like him, but I didn't get his name," answered Lom. The lawman raised his hand in a gesture of farewell. "Give my regards to Henry and the family."

-x-x-x-x-x-x

The next morning, after a hearty breakfast at the seventeenth street hotel restaurant, the partners strode down the streets of Cheyenne to attend to their business. The two men stopped at a busy street corner.

"Bookstore is that way," said Heyes with a gesture to the right.

Kid looked up from the paper in his hand. The blond man pointed to the left.

"The gun shop is that way," indicated Kid. "Do you want to split up?"

"No, we stick together," replied Heyes with a determined smile. Heyes wasn't letting his partner get into any trouble. "I've never seen _Finest Firearms. _ Gun shop first. Book store second."

"Joshua, I know you're not interested in guns. You can go to the bookstore," responded Kid. "I can manage on my own."

"Of course, I know that, but I can't manage without you," agreed Heyes. "Who's gonna help me carry the books?"

Blue eyes narrowed as Kid looked askance at Heyes.

"How many books are you planning on getting?" demanded Kid.

-x-x-x-x-x-x

The bell over the doorway tinkled as the partners entered the gun shop. A young man at the counter looked up from the disassembled weapon on the counter before him.

"May I help you?"

"Um, uh, my name is Thaddeus Jones, from Thunder Ridge," responded Kid as he removed his floppy brown hat.

"Mr. Jones," responded the young man with a bright grin of recognition. "I'm Clovis, been handling your account for years."

"This is my partner Joshua Smith," added Kid with a gesture towards Heyes. "We're here to see Mr. Curry."

"About the distributorship agreement," nodded Clovis. "Yes, I'll get Mr. Curry for you."

The young man hurried towards the back of the store leaving Kid and Heyes to stare at their surroundings. Glass cases suitable for a jewelry store displayed every imaginable type of pistol. Holsters, right handed, left handed, over the shoulder, some plain and others ornately tooled in different shades of leather, hung from hooks. The walls held racks and racks of rifles.

"More guns here than in Lom's office," commented Kid.

"Yeah," agreed Heyes. "You'd expect that though."

The brilliant man's brain attempted to calculate the value of all the store goods. The contents of this shop would easily cost more than the best haul the gang had ever made. Was Henry rich? Or did Colt Manufacturing provide the goods? Or…? Dark brown eyes looked up at his older cousin as Henry limped into the room.

"Good day gentlemen," greeted Henry. His blue eyes lit up and Henry smiled at both men before extending a hand towards Kid. "Mr. Jones, I'm so glad you came to Cheyenne, but now is not a good time to discuss a distributorship. Perhaps you and your partner could stop by my home this evening?"

"Uh, um," stammered Kid.

The younger blond man flashed at worried glance at Heyes. Thaddeus Jones wasn't supposed to interact personally with the Curry family in Cheyenne. It could be dangerous!

"My associate, Randolph Carruthers arrived yesterday from Connecticut," continued Henry. "We're having a business dinner tonight. He'll be meeting all the potential distributors. We'd love for you and your partner to join us."

"Do I have to wear a suit?" blurted out Kid. "I didn't bring one."

"Just come as you are," replied Henry. The businessman leaned in closer to Kid, where Clovis couldn't see, and winked. "Don't worry. You'll be fine."

-x-x-x-x-x-x

"He acted like he didn't even know us!" huffed Kid.

"Henry was just trying to sound businesslike in front of his employee," explained Heyes.

"And this last minute change, it ain't right," responded an exasperated Kid. "I'm just sayin', Henry should have told us if the plan had changed."

Heyes stopped in front of the bookstore. Dark brown eyes rolled.

"_Thaddeus_, how was Henry supposed to do that?" demanded Heyes. "You heard him, his associate arrived yesterday afternoon. We were already on the stage, then the train. Even if we'd had a telegraph in Thunder Ridge, it would have been too late to let us know."

"Well maybe it's time Thunder Ridge got a telegraph, or maybe one of those new-fangled telephone machines," huffed Kid, "so we know what's going on."

"Now you're being ridiculous," snorted Heyes. His slender hand reached for the door handle. "Those telephone machines are way too expensive. They'll never catch on. Come on inside."

Kid's blue eyed gaze was staring at something beyond Heyes. The dark haired man turned to look down the street. Nearby shops in this prosperous section of town included a millinery, a jewelry store, a tailor and a haberdashery.

"No _Joshua_," replied Kid. "You go on in, I know how you are in a bookstore. I've got to get something and then I'll be right back. Don't leave without me."

"Don't leave without you! I can't leave without you!" exclaimed Heyes as his partner hurried off. "What are you doing? Don't take too long!"

-x-x-x-x-x-x

Heyes entered the bookstore. Sun streamed brightly through the windowpanes. In the rear of the store he heard the murmur of a woman's voice. A store clerk approached.

"May I help you find something?" asked the quiet young man.

"Actually, I'm here on behalf of the Thunder Ridge Public Library," replied Heyes. He fumbled in his inside jacket pocket and withdrew a folded piece of paper. "I'm to pick up some books."

The clerk took the paper and smiled at the varied list of books.

"Yes Sir," replied the young man. "I'll get these for you right away."

"What's going on back there?" asked Heyes.

"Oh, story hour," replied the clerk as looked back to the rear of the store. "Volunteers from the ladies aide society read to the local children every Wednesday."

While the clerk went to retrieve the items on Heyes' list, the former outlaw found himself tiptoeing closer to the sound of the voice. Heyes smiled at the sight before him. A familiar gray haired figure sat in an overstuffed chair. Boys and girls of all sizes sat on the floor around her.

"…and Mr. Gepetto…" read Aunt Katie.

The sound of the shop's front door opened and closed. Heyes glanced towards the front of the bookstore and saw Kid standing there. The master planner hurried to rejoin his partner.

"Did you get what you wanted?" asked Heyes.

Kid patted his upper left chest. A small bulge appeared in the pocket of his red shirt.

"Yep," grinned Kid. "What about you?"

The clerk approached with another stack of books and set them down next to the other pile. Heyes ran his thumb down the list of titles, some familiar, some new.

"Almost done," answered Heyes. "Then we have to stop by the school board office."

-x-x-x-x-x-x

"Are you sure this is the right address?" asked Kid.

Heyes glanced down at the return address on the envelope in his hands. The gaslight shining from the streetlamp above made it easy to read. He looked up at the well-built brick building. The Curry home was relatively modest compared to some of the buildings in this affluent neighborhood, but it was far finer than anything found in Thunder Ridge or even Porterville.

"Yeah, this is it," replied Heyes.

The partner's exchanged a glance. Kid squared his shoulders.

"We can do this," encouraged Heyes with a confident smile.

"Yeah," agreed Kid. "Let's do it."

Together, the partners marched up the stairs. Kid picked up the door knocker's heavy bronze ring and rapped it against the lion's mouth. A scurry of footsteps sounded from inside. Eileen opened the heavy door. The redhead flashed a warm dimpled smile at her cousins.

"I hope you didn't have any trouble finding the place," greeted Eileen. She opened the door wider and beckoned the two men inside. "We're so glad you're here."

Heyes and Kid followed Eileen back to the dining room. Familiar faces greeted them. Aunt Katie, Henry, Mary Moira and little Owen seated in a long legged chair, surrounded the dark walnut table.

"No Carruthers, no distributors?" asked Heyes with a questioning look at Henry.

"Carruthers left for Denver this afternoon," replied Henry with a smirk. "I was able to reach most of the other distributors to let them know the business dinner had been cancelled." With a gesture towards Kid, Henry added, "Unfortunately, I couldn't reach everyone."

"Hmmph," grumbled Heyes. He sat down opposite Aunt Katie wondering if there ever had been a business dinner planned or any other distributors. "You're taking an unnecessary risk Henry."

Henry leaned forward and lowered his voice.

"Eileen and I both agreed, meeting for dinner in the privacy of our own home is safer than trying to meet at some public horse auction," responded Henry. "We want to enjoy talking to you both, not worry about someone overhearing us."

Kid sat down between Heyes and Mary Moira. Across the table Owen pounded a wooden spoon.

"I think he's saying hurry up," chuckled Eileen. She stretched one hand towards the baby and the other towards her daughter. The beautiful woman smiled down the length of the table. "Henry, would you ask the blessing?"

-x-x-x-x-x-x

After dinner, Mary Moira asked Kid for a bedtime story. For the first time, Kid said no to his niece.

"Joshua tells better stories," chuckled Kid. "Get him to tell you one. He likes to talk."

"Have you ever heard of Fionn McCool," asked Heyes with a dimpled grin.

"Papa tells that story all the time," replied Mary Moira shaking her head. The child started in a singsong voice, "Ireland's bravest warrior, a giant..."

"What kind of story would you like?" asked Heyes.

"Do you know Sleeping Beauty?" questioned Mary Moira eagerly.

Kid snorted and Eileen started shaking her head.

"Perhaps you'd like to read a chapter of Pinnochio," suggested Aunt Katie.

-x-x-x-x-x-x

Kid was quiet as the partners walked back to the hotel on Seventeenth Street. It wasn't until they were in their room, Heyes struck a match and lit the oil lamp that the younger man spoke.

"Tonight was real nice," said Kid with a soft smile.

The blond man tossed his brown hat atop the bureau and began to unbuckle his gun belt.

"Yeah," agreed Heyes.

Heyes placed his black hat next to the water pitcher and shrugged out of his dark jacket. He draped the jacket over the back of the straight back chair next to his bed.

"A happy time," continued Kid, "not one of those fairy tale happily ever after times, but a real happy time right here, right now."

Right here, right now, the present. Heyes stopped unbuttoning his shirt and looked at his cousin.

"What are you getting at Kid?"

"I heard you and Henry talking about Ptol," continued Kid.

The smile disappeared from Heyes' face as his dark brown eyes watched his partner shrug out of his brown vest. The small sharp cornered bulge in upper left pocket of Kid's red shirt was clearly visible as the younger man sat down opposite Heyes and reached for his boot.

"You told Henry not to blame himself for what happened to Ptol," continued Kid, "and it sounded like you told him that before."

"Yeah. Henry didn't make Ptol run off with him," replied Heyes. The dark haired man sat down and began to pull off his own boots, restating what he'd told his older cousin. "Ptol chose to join up in the army, people shoot at soldiers…"

"Just like people shoot at outlaws," interrupted Kid.

"What?"

"You always blame yourself for leading me into the outlaw business," reminded Kid, "but I keep telling you, it wasn't your fault."

"You were seventeen," interrupted Heyes, "a kid."

"Ptol was sixteen when he ran off with Henry!"

"It's not the same," began Heyes. "Joining the army ain't a crime, thieving is!"

"I was a grown man, with a mind of my own," snapped Kid. "I wasn't no little child to be led astray by the big bad outlaw man."

"Kid…," growled Heyes.

"You keep telling Henry that it's not his fault Ptol died," interrupted Kid, "and I'm telling you, it ain't your fault I'm a wanted man. I chose this life we lead too."

For a moment the partners stared at each other wordlessly. Kid's blue eyed glare and clamped jaw told Heyes his partner wasn't gonna give up on this.

"Let it go Heyes," whispered Kid. "None of us knows the future…"

"Not even Mystical Myrna?" asked Heyes.

"Who?"

The serious mood was shattered as Heyes waggled his dark brown eyebrows.

"Know all, tells all," teased Heyes, he held out a slender hand palm up, "for a fee..."

"Mystical Myrna!" chuckled Kid with a broad grin in remembrance. "I haven't thought of her in years."

The partners had camped outside of Omaha alongside several wagons for a travelling roadshow. The lovely Myrna, dressed in not much more than purple gauze and a feather boa, claimed to foresee the future. The scantily clad woman held Kid's hand, stared into his blue eyes and breathlessly whispered _danger lies ahead_. Myrna then promised the young blond tomorrows filled with fame, fortune, love, happiness, some dark clouds and love...

"She was right about the danger," smirked Heyes. "If we stayed any longer, we would have been arrested."

"Tomorrow isn't promised to any of us," reminded Kid turning thoughtful again. "Some things, like what happened in Kansas, the only choice we get is either live with it, or die with it."

Heyes caught sight of the jewelry store logo on the lid as Kid reached into his pocket and pulled out the small square box. The blond man set the box on the bureau beside his hat.

"Other things, we just try to do the best we can, and sometimes, it ain't the best choice, so we try to make amends," said Kid softly as he climbed into his bed. "But all those choices we made led us right here, right now. We just got to keep on doing the best we can."

For a moment, there was silence in the room. Heyes wondered, was anything in life ever that simple?

-x-x-x-x-x-x

"The Bannerman detective left town," responded Lom. "He's headed north on the trail of Carstairs and that woman."

"Already?"

"Was the Bannerman detective Harry Briscoe?" asked Heyes.

"Don't know, he didn't stick around long enough for me to question him," answered Lom.

"Any idea who the woman is that helped Carstairs escape?" asked Kid. "I don't remember you describing her..."

"She's young, pretty, dark haired, but that's all I know," replied the lawman. Lom shook his head, before continuing. "I thought you would be back last night. What took you boys so long?"

"The train was late leaving Cheyenne," explained Heyes, "and then every stop it seemed to take longer to get going. The last stop in Marionville was for eight hours. Didn't you get a telegraph?"

"Just about the delay, not the reason for the delay," answered Lom.

"We missed the freight wagon. Didn't we?" asked Kid.

"Yeah," responded Lom, "Stage won't be going back to Thunder Ridge until Tuesday."

"Livery's still open," replied Kid. The muscular blond turned towards the livery. "The book crates and luggage can wait for the stage."

"You're not supposed to be riding yet," objected Heyes. "Doctor's orders…"

"Doctor don't get a say," interrupted Kid. "I want to see Mattie. Are you coming?"

-x-x-x-x-x-x

Uriah left the smithy to meet Kid as the blond man rode into Thunder Ridge. Heyes followed his partner into the town. As Heyes dismounted outside the stable, Arabella Cole accosted him while Mrs. Henderson hurried to join. The two women surrounded the dark haired man.

"Joshua," greeted Mrs. Henderson from his right side, "we wanted to tell you first."

"Before anyone else," added Arabella from his left side.

"Tell me what?" asked Heyes.

The brown haired man glanced towards his partner, but Kid had already relinquished his mount to Uriah. Long legs quickly took Kid across the garden square. The front door on the boarding house swung open. A tall blonde woman stepped out onto the porch. Matt took one look and hurried down the stairs.

"A teacher came for an interview while you were away," explained Mrs. Henderson.

"We didn't want to wait any longer," chimed in Arabella.

"We hired her," added Mrs. Henderson.

Heyes nodded distractedly as he watched Matt run towards Kid. His partner picked up the tall blonde woman as if she weighed nothing. Sunlight gleamed on two blond heads. For a moment, Heyes could see bright, happy smiles shining on both faces. Then Kid lowered Matt. As her feet touched the ground, smiles were swallowed up in the depths of a long, slow kiss.

"We didn't think you'd mind," nodded Arabella eagerly.

"After all, she is Mr. Jones' cousin," smiled Mrs. Henderson. "And we know you get along so well with her."

Dark brown eyes blinked. Heyes returned his gaze to the two matrons standing before him, and the petite brunette that now walked sedately across the square to join them.

"Clem?" responded Heyes in confusion.

Uriah arrived to take the reins of his horse as Mrs. Henderson and Arabella excused themselves. Heyes was left staring at Clem in shock. He turned his eyes back to where Kid and Matt still stood, oblivious to the rest of the world. The tiny woman followed his gaze. Clem crossed her arms over her chest. A little chin jutted out. Hazel eyes crinkled up in delight and a wide smile spread across Clem's face.

"He didn't even notice me," whispered Clem in a low tone that might not have even been meant for Heyes.

Heyes had to agree with Clem's observation. The Kansan didn't think Kid noticed anybody, or anything, but Matt.

"Well you weren't hollering out his name," remarked Heyes, "nor running towards him with petticoats flashing."

"He looks so happy," continued Clem in a satisfied tone as if she hadn't heard Heyes at all.

"Clem?" repeated Heyes.

"Yes Joshua," answered Clem.

The petite woman uncrossed her arms and turned. Clem spread her arms wide and smiled at Heyes expectantly.

"You're a teacher?" asked Heyes.

Hazel eyes flashed. Arms crossed once more.

"There aren't too many ways for a woman to earn an honest living," huffed Clem. "What do you think I did?"

-x-x-x-x-x-x


	4. Be Careful What You Wish For

Disclaimer: Alias Smith and Jones does not belong to me. This is fan fiction, not for profit.

Any references to people, places, businesses, etc. are entirely fictitious.

A/N – story presumes the details on the wanted posters are not entirely accurate. Story exists in the same story verse as Kid Plans, South By Southeast, and Trouble In Texas but should also stand alone.

Be Careful What You Wish For

-x-x-x-x-x-x

"Whoa!"

The Tuesday stage from Porterville pulled to a stop in front of Uriah's livery. Heyes glanced quickly at the coach. No passengers, which was to be expected. The end of the line town of Thunder Ridge seldom had visitors, which was a good thing as far as the former outlaw was concerned. The welcome sight of wooden packing crates brought a smile to Heyes face.

"You'll have to excuse me," insisted Heyes as he rose from his seat on Mrs. Henderson's front porch.

"Harrumph," spluttered gray haired Doc Beauregard. "But I was just saying…"

"Sorry, duty calls," interrupted Heyes with a gesture towards the waiting stage, "the supplies for the school and the library have finally arrived."

Without a backward glance, Heyes hurried away from the medical man. Brown eyes narrowed and his steps slowed as Heyes reached the bottom of the porch stairs. In the distance, Heyes could see Kid and Matt at the door to the livery. Two blond heads whispered together a moment before Kid tilted Matt's chin up just a smidgen and kissed her on the lips. Matt swatted Kid playfully on the backside as the blond man turned and strode towards the stage before she headed up the hillside towards the cabin. Heyes thought for a moment, then changed direction as he moved towards the undertaker's garden.

"Lute," called Heyes, "may I borrow your wheelbarrow?"

-x-x-x-x-x-x

"For a genius, you can be a real idiot sometimes."

Heyes looked up from the crate he was prying open. Brown eyes widened in astonishment as the former outlaw stared at Clem. The hazel eyed brunette stood framed in the doorway between the schoolroom and the teacher's private quarters.

"Is that the thanks I get for doing a good deed?" asked Heyes.

"What are you doing here?" demanded Clem. The diminutive woman crossed her arms and frowned at him.

"School supplies arrived," answered Heyes. The former outlaw forced a crowbar between the slats of the crate. "Thought I'd bring them to you."

The hazel eyed brunette had been quite miffed with his question regarding her chosen profession upon his return to Thunder Ridge two weeks ago, but she hadn't gone so far as to question his intelligence. At least not until today.

"Now Clem, I've already apologized for asking if you were a real school teacher," continued Heyes as he laid down the crowbar and lifted the lid off the crate. "Do you have to keep bringing that up?"

"I'm not talking about that, although it is another good example," sniffed Clem. Her blue gingham skirt swished past the newly installed school desks as she walked across the classroom to peer into the box Heyes opened. "You would think that as many years as we've known each other…"

"Clem," interrupted Heyes.

The tiny woman set the slate board she had picked up on the desk beside the open crate. Clem looked up at Heyes and smiled brightly.

"You're an idiot."

"What have I done that makes me an idiot?" demanded Heyes. His voice moved higher in indignation and he placed his hands upon his hips and frowned at her. "Just tell me!"

Clem stared over his shoulder. A tiny hand waved towards the window. Heyes slowly turned to see what she was pointing at. Lute's wheelbarrow and the other two crates waited outside the schoolhouse.

"The wheelbarrow doesn't fit through the door," chuckled Heyes as he moved his hands back to the crate. "And I can only carry one box in at a time. It would be a bit hard on the back..."

"Not that!" exclaimed Clem. She pointed again. "Any other day, you would have asked Kid to help you! You've been avoiding Kid and Matt."

Across the central town square, Heyes could see his partner standing beside his workbench in the shadowed livery. The muscular blond nodded and handed a rifle to the stage driver. Heyes remembered the driver leaving his precious Sharps with Kid over a month ago. Kid was one of the few people in this part of Wyoming that had the expertise necessary to repair the broken weapon's coil springs. Heyes shook his head as he realized Clem was still talking.

"Hmmph, are you listening to me?" huffed Clem. She placed her hands upon her hips and pursed her lips before adding, "The one advantage to living in Thunder Ridge is that you and Kid get to be together, but you're keeping away from them."

Them. Clem meant Kid and Matt, not Kid and Heyes. Heyes swallowed. Things had happened so quickly, he still couldn't get his head around the idea that his partner was now a married man.

"I'm not avoiding them," objected Heyes, "I'm just giving the newlyweds some privacy."

"Privacy that first Saturday was a good thing, and maybe even Sunday, but it's been two weeks," objected Clem.

Clem picked up six of the slate boards and started placing them one by one on the nearby student desks.

"Ten days," corrected Heyes.

Not that he was counting.

-x-x-x-x-x-x

"_Kid are you sure about this?" asked Heyes. A flash of blue eyes caused him to hurriedly add, "Not about Matt. I mean can Preacher… can he…"_

"_Just 'cause he ain't been preaching don't mean he can't," answered Kid. "He's never been defrocked."_

"_That's because he was declared dead after Shiloh," spluttered Heyes. _

"_I know the feeling," said Kid with a wry chuckle. "Funny how this is the first step to having a new life." _

"_But Preacher," continued Heyes in alarm, "he's…"_

"_An outlaw, like you and me," reminded Kid in a low tone. "Thaddeus Jones got a marriage license from the county clerk in Porterville. Mattie knows I can't make all those promises in public using my real name, but she says it don't matter. We'll be Mr. and Mrs. Jones in the eyes of the law."_

_Heyes ran a hand through his long dark hair, pushing it back from his eyes. The muscular blond man untied the strap holding his holster against his thigh, then Kid began to unbuckle his gun belt. _

"_What are you doing?" asked Heyes._

"_Getting' married," answered Kid. The blue eyed man smiled as he held his gun belt out towards his partner. "And I ain't gonna wear a pistol while I'm making them promises."_

_The sound of a burbling spring and twittering birds was the only music heard in the forest glade when Heyes and Clem witnessed the promises made by Kid and Matt. _

-x-x-x-x-x-x

"Thunder Ridge isn't exactly where I pictured you and Kid settling down, but isn't this what you wanted?" asked Clem as she moved back to stand beside Heyes. "You and Kid have a chance at a real future here."

The quiet little town of Thunder Ridge was as close to a perfect hideout for two former outlaws as the dark haired Kansan could imagine. The small valley nestled in the mountains north of Porterville seldom had visitors. Usually strangers only came to Mrs. Henderson's boarding house in the summer, most often geologists or people looking for those weird bones that people had been digging up around Medicine Bow for the past decade. Here the partners had friends, a home, honest work.

"Yeah, as a gunsmith and a librarian," responded Heyes with a wry smile. "Kid repairs guns and I crack books now instead of safes."

"Nobody's going to challenge Thaddeus Jones to see how fast he can fix a gun," reminded Clem.

Heyes sucked in a deep breath as he laid the last of the slate boards on the table before him. Six boxes of chalk, four large erasers and twelve boxes of pencils joined the slate boards.

"Everyone else is happy for them," reminded Clem. She reached up and straightened the dark black string tie beneath the collar of his white shirt. "Why aren't you?"

When the two couples and Preacher returned down the slope to the little town of Thunder Ridge, they were met by smiling faces on all sides. The townsfolk set up a fried chicken picnic supper beneath the shade of the big oak tree. Mrs. Henderson confided to Heyes that she and the other townswomen had started cooking at dawn. Dessert was a slightly lopsided cake with white sugar icing. And the brandy bottle that Heyes had only seen Mrs. Henderson take out at Christmas was emptied toasting the newlyweds.

"I am," insisted Heyes forcefully. "I am happy for Kid and Matt…"

"Kid Curry and Hannibal Heyes never really could settle down," mused Clem as she placed her hands on his collar bones and smoothed out the creases in his white shirt, "but Thaddeus Jones and Joshua Smith can have all the simple joys… a home, marriage, children..."

"What?" squawked Heyes.

Heyes stepped backwards in surprise. Children? Brown eyes blinked. Heyes hardly heard the rest of Clem's words as the thought of Kid and Matt's potential children filled his mind.

"Yeah, but if something bad happens," blurted out Heyes "it's gonna be harder to go on the run with a wife and…"

"Is that what's bothering you?" asked Clem.

"Um, uh, maybe," admitted Heyes.

"Matt's family now," reminded Clem. "If you go on the run, she goes too."

Clem leaned back against the desk and stared at him.

"I thought you wanted to settle down here," said Clem. "Are you planning to go on the run again?"

"Going on the run was never a Hannibal Heyes Plan, it just sort of happened," replied Heyes with a rueful smile. "We're planning on staying here, in Thunder Ridge"

"You might want to start making a Hannibal Heyes Plan," suggested Clem in a low voice. "Don't you want to get married, have a family, children of your own?"

There was an awkward silence between the two old friends. Heyes glanced outside to the waiting crates. Heyes ran his hand through his dark brown hair, pushing the long strands away from his perspiring forehead.

"I should bring the rest of those boxes in," replied Heyes changing the subject. "If I pry the lids off, can you handle unloading the supplies?"

Clem snorted in disbelief.

"You're not the only person who knows how to handle a crowbar," reminded the tiny woman. "I can set up my classroom."

Clem made a shooing motion and Heyes hurriedly stepped outside. True to her word, Clem had the crowbar in hand prying up the lid of the second box by the time Heyes returned with the last crate. The former outlaw looked at his longtime friend quizzically.

"Clem, why did you come back to Thunder Ridge?" asked Heyes. "Teacher's quarters in the back of the school hardly compares to your place in Denver."

"Somebody has to keep an eye out on you two boys," answered Clem with a chuckle as she pulled out the last nail.

"That's not what I'm asking," Heyes tried again. "Why didn't you just stay in Thunder Ridge when you were here before? Why did you leave and then come back?"

"I had to go to Mathersville," answered Clem in a tone that indicated Heyes should have already figured that out. "Somebody had to get the undertaker's photograph of Danny Bilson."

"What? You stole the photograph?" asked Heyes.

The former outlaw's voice rose higher with each syllable. Clem had always been the most honest person the partners knew, but she had demonstrated her devious side once before when Winford Fletcher framed her father.

"We can't have someone that really knows Kid going to Mathersville, look at that photograph, and say _that's not Kid Curry_," replied Clem. "Now can we?"

Heyes opened and closed his mouth wordlessly. Clem gave him a saucy smile before placing her hands upon his shoulders. The tiny woman pivoted Heyes around to where he could see down the street. Kid was visible inside the livery.

"Now," ordered Clem. "Go talk to him."

-x-x-x-x-x-x

"What have you got there Thaddeus?" asked Heyes as he approached his partner.

Kid looked up from his workbench. This corner of Uriah's stable was reserved for Kid's work on the neighbor's weaponry. People from all over the county brought their broken firearms here. Thaddeus Jones had a reputation for being able to fix any kind of gun, no matter how old or damaged.

"Birthday gift from Henry," answered the tall blond with a smile. "Came in today's mail delivery."

Heyes recognized the finely tooled leather gun belt from their recent visit to Cheyenne. He could only guess how much that fancy item cost. He smiled tightly, knowing that his birthday gift would pale in comparison.

"Very nice," admired Heyes.

"Too fancy for everyday use," objected Kid. "Wearing that thing, everybody would be looking at me when I go to Porterville or any other town."

Heyes blinked. Kid always attracted attention. Men worried about the tied down holster or the looks their women gave his partner as they watched him walk. Women looked. Kid picked up the plain leather holster beside the fancy gun belt.

"This I can use though," added Kid.

"You do need a new holster," agreed Heyes.

Kid ran a hand across the short neatly trimmed whiskers outlining his jawline before he picked up the fancy gun belt. Placing the gift and a letter atop white packing paper, the muscular blond began to tie up the package for the outgoing mail.

"Henry means well," continued Kid, "just hope he don't get mad."

"He won't get upset about you returning the gun belt," assured Heyes.

"Not upset about that," replied Kid as he tightened the knot in the twine. "The letter, I told Henry I didn't want to go in on the distributorship offer. I like fixing guns, but I'm not a salesman."

Heyes exhaled, and a tightness that he hadn't even realized he'd been carrying released itself from between his shoulders.

"You could be Kid," whispered Heyes softly. "You can do anything. Henry could use a good business partner…"

Blue eyes met brown. Kid smiled in appreciation of Heyes' compliment.

"Already got a partner," reminded Kid. The blue eyes drilled into Heyes as Kid asked, "Are you coming up to the cabin for dinner tonight?"

"Yeah," agreed Heyes with a broad smile, "but you're not getting your birthday gift until next week."

-x-x-x-x-x-x

"Did you cook the stew?" hissed Heyes in a low voice as Matt went to the stove for the blue coffee pot.

Kid, Lobo and Preacher had added another full room to the cabin. The two rooms shared the wall with the big fireplace. The back door to the right of the hearth was now the entrance to Kid and Matt's room. A black cast iron cook stove, a red handled pump over a sink, a long narrow plank table surrounded by straight back chairs, a pie safe, and two single bedframes on either side of the central front door filled the main room.

"Yeah," responded Kid. "How could you tell?"

"I recognized the flavor of burnt," replied Heyes.

"I thought you liked my stew," replied Kid looking somewhat affronted.

Matt returned carrying the large blue coffee pot. The tall woman leaned forward to refill their cups. Heyes closed his eyes in contentment as he sipped the hot beverage. A vase filled with bright red Indian Paintbrush shared the mantle with Clarence's Bible. The addition of a sewing basket and a large wooden trunk with a wrought iron lid were other signs of Matt's presence in the cabin.

"Mmmm," murmured Heyes, "good coffee."

"See, it's not bad," insisted Matt as she settled herself in the seat closest to Kid, "Heyes likes my coffee."

"Of course he does," grumbled Kid, "it tastes exactly like the stuff he makes!"

"I make good coffee," insisted Heyes as he opened his brown eyes and looked from Kid to Matt and back again.

The dark haired former outlaw pushed back his chair.

"I should be heading back down to Mrs. Henderson's," added Heyes.

"No!"

Heyes blinked at the sound of both Kid and Matt.

"You should stay," urged Kid in a soft tone. "The cabin is your home too. There's plenty of room for all of us."

Matt nodded, but Heyes shook his head.

"Clarence left the cabin to you Kid," reminded Heyes. "You two need your privacy. I'm fine at Mrs. Henderson's boarding house."

"A gentleman shouldn't eat and run," countered Matt.

"And I've got the _Cheyenne Daily Leader_," added Kid. Long arms stretched towards the newspaper lying atop the nearest single bed. "You might want to see this article."

Heyes took the paper from his partner.

"A homicide in Chicago," grimaced Heyes.

"Next one down," directed Kid.

"Midwest Railroad," read Heyes, "cancels reward offered for two notorious outlaws."

Brown eyes looked up and across the table. Kid nodded. Blue eyes sparkled as Kid grinned.

"Go on, keep reading," urged Kid.

"The Governor has set up a special investigative review board…" started Heyes.

The investigation into years of bank and train robberies wasn't going to exonerate Curry and Heyes, but maybe some of the incidents would be attributed to McIntyre and Carstairs, where they belonged. Most importantly, the $10,000 reward and phrase Dead or Alive was gone.

"No crimes have been directly attributed to Hannibal Heyes and Kid Curry since the 1879 robbery of the Hanford Bank and Trust. Witnesses at the time reported one or both men were wounded and may be dead," concluded Heyes.

"They don't mention that last train job," added Kid. "Just goes to show you can't believe everything you read."

Heyes set the newspaper down on the table with a smile. Across the table, Matt pushed her chair back and moved towards the pie safe.

"Does Matt make peach cobbler like Eula Mae?" guessed Heyes.

"Something you'll like better," smiled Kid.

Matt turned from the pie safe. The tall blonde woman held a deck of cards and a box of matchsticks in her hands.

"Dealer's choice," announced Mattie as she set the cards down on the table with a broad smile. "Five Card Stud."

"Kid, you didn't tell me Matt plays poker," exclaimed Heyes with a delighted grin.

"I never told you she didn't either," replied Kid as he cut the deck.

-x-x-x-x-x-x


	5. What's In a Name?

Disclaimer: Alias Smith and Jones does not belong to me. This is fan fiction, not for profit.

Any references to people, places, businesses, etc. are entirely fictitious.

A/N – story presumes the details on the wanted posters are not entirely accurate. Story exists in the same story verse as Kid Plans, South By Southeast, and Trouble In Texas but should also stand alone.

What's In a Name?

-x-x-x-x-x-x

"Come on Clem," wheedled Heyes, brown eyes twinkling mischievously. "You know you want to…"

Heyes leaned with one arm against the open doorway the other hand placed against his waist. Clem bit her bottom lip. Whisky colored eyes looked up at the former outlaw and glanced through the opening. Outside, Kid was visible in the corral between his black gelding and the blacksmith. Beyond the livery, the cabin on the mountainside beckoned.

"Well, it would be fun," agreed Clem, "but I don't know what the school board would think…"

"The school board won't mind," assured Heyes with a confident smile.

Clem's eyes narrowed suspiciously. The tiny woman placed her hands on her hips and glared at Heyes.

"How would you know what the school board would have to say?" demanded Clem.

"I wasn't just on the hiring committee," smirked the former outlaw. Heyes stood up straight and spread his hands out wide. "I'm part of the school board."

There was a moment of silence as Clem digested this surprising bit of information. Clem rocked back against the wall and crossed her arms over her chest.

"Who did you bribe?"

"Clem! I didn't bribe anybody!" exclaimed Heyes. "I'm just doing my civic duty…"

"Hmmph," snorted Clem in disbelief.

"Bribes are expensive _and_ illegal," reminded Heyes. At Clem's continued look of disbelief, he added, "I didn't need to bribe anyone. Mrs. Henderson asked me to be on the board."

The arrival of Miss Clementine Hale, school teacher, had increased the adult population of Thunder Ridge to seventeen. Eight of the adults, Doctor Beauregard, Matt, Jenny, Wheat, Kyle, Lobo, Preacher and Clem were newcomers. The residency requirement precluded their participation in the school board. Choices for school board members were limited.

"With Mrs. Henderson and Arabella Cole as two members," continued Heyes, "she said it wouldn't do for Charlie, Felicity or Uriah to be on the board."

As the parents of seven, soon to be eight children, Mrs. Henderson's son Charlie and daughter-in-law Felicity had a vested interest in the school, but the busy parents left the politicking to the expertise of Charlie's mother. Mrs. Henderson had acquired the necessary funding to support both the new school and the library. Arabella's husband Uriah claimed that his wife knew more about schooling and said their four children would be better off with her on the school board.

"What about Lute Morrison?" asked Clem. The petite woman pushed off the wall and stepped forward. Clem tapped Heyes beneath the triangle of white fabric showing at the collar of his black shirt. "He could have been on the board."

Heyes smile faltered. The undertaker Luther Morrison, Lute to his friends, was a knowledgeable man about the same age as Heyes. Originally from Maryland, the man claimed the only reason he was here in Thunder Ridge was because the tiny town seldom needed his professional services. The man tended his garden and sold jars of honey and jam in the nearby town of Four Corners to make ends meet.

"You know Lute," answered Heyes in a casual tone, "if it interferes with his gardening, he's not gonna be bothered."

Clem sniffed. Her freckled nose tilted upwards at Heyes comment.

"I don't know Mr. Morrison well enough to make that assumption," replied Clem primly. "I just knew he's lived in Thunder Ridge longer than you or _Thaddeus_."

Clem didn't notice Heyes' relieved smile as she turned back to her desk.

"School starts in two weeks," continued the tiny brunette as she gestured towards her cluttered desktop, "and I've got so much to do…"

"Come on Clem," coaxed Heyes. "You know you don't want to have dinner by yourself. Come to Kid and Matt's…"

"Alright," agreed Clem, "but I have to warn you, it's been a while since I've played poker…"

-x-x-x-x-x-x

Heyes stood up from the desk before him and stretched both arms overhead. Late afternoon sunlight streamed through the window of the parlor turned library.

"I thought I'd find you here," called a soft voice. "So this is the Thunder Ridge library…"

"Official opening isn't until next week," reminded Heyes.

Clem stepped into the cozy room. Shelves of books lined the walls. Crates and mismatched upholstered chairs made an obstacle course from doorway to desk. Donations, along with the books Heyes had acquired in Cheyenne and elsewhere, now filled the shelves of the tiny lending library.

"Why? What is taking so long to open?" asked Clem. "It looks like the books are ready."

"Government paperwork," grumbled Heyes. "Every book has to be reported as received and catalogued for check out."

"Anything good to read?" questioned Clem with a smirk.

"Guess that depends upon what you think is good," replied Heyes. With a gesture towards the shelf nearest him, he added, "Aristotle, Plato, Shakespeare, Thoreau…"

Clem wrinkled up her nose. The former outlaw leader picked up a battered brown book and tucked it beneath his arm.

"Penny dreadfuls," added Heyes with a gesture towards the shelf nearest Clem. "You might find a few old favorites."

The tiny woman stepped closer and ran her finger lightly across the spines of the books. Clem stopped when she reached a particular novel.

"You've got _Daring Dudley and the Tsarina of the Train_," read Clem with glee. Then glancing at the next book, her smile broadened. "And Poe's Tales!"

Heyes moved to join Clem. The slender man offered his arm.

"Shall we?"

"Why Mr. Smith," replied Clem in a pleased tone as she laid her tiny hand upon his forearm, "you're being so formal…"

The pair stepped into the wide central corridor of the boarding house. Heyes dropped Clem's arm and did an about face to the library door. Clem's jaw gaped open as the dark haired man swiftly pulled the door shut, inserted the key and locked the room.

"Had to get you out of there or we might not get to dinner," whispered Heyes in response to Clem's startled gaze. "Kid said you were the only person he'd ever seen take longer looking at books than me."

-x-x-x-x-x-x

"Kid, I brought you something," informed Heyes as he followed Clem into the cabin.

Kid looked up from the wash pan full of potatoes, a knife in one hand, peelings surrounding him. Heyes was surprised to see Kid's gun belt carefully wrapped around his revolver and placed atop the nearby trunk. Although Kid had taken the weapon off for his wedding to Matt, he'd put it right back on after the promises were made.

"What is it?" asked Kid as he set down the paring knife.

Clem gave the muscular blond a quick peck on the check before she made a beeline past Kid towards the two blonde women standing beside the cast iron stove. In her self-appointed role of Thaddeus Jones' mother, Jenny spent quite a bit of time at the cabin, so Heyes wasn't surprised to see her there tonight. If anything, the presence of another good card player added to his anticipation for the evening poker game.

"Look," directed Heyes.

The brown haired man smirked as he thumped a battered brown book on the table beside Kid. The title _American Cookery_, by Amelia Simmons was faded but still legible. The old book had been donated by Mrs. Henderson to the fledgling library along with the use of the boarding house parlor.

"A cookbook?" asked Kid in surprise.

"It's just on loan," responded Heyes. "The library isn't open yet, but one of the privileges of being a librarian is getting to review books before they're released to the general public."

Behind Kid, Jenny opened the oven door. Both Matt and Clem peered inside as the aroma of fresh baking bread filled the cabin.

"Glad to see our tax dollars going to good use," chuckled Kid. "I guess it might be time to learn how to cook proper."

"Time to do lots of things we've been holding off on," agreed Heyes.

"Right now though," replied Kid, "if you want to eat supper tonight, it's time to peel potatoes."

-x-x-x-x-x-x

After dinner, Heyes leaned back in his chair. The dark haired man smiled broadly, dimples showing as he tilted the chair back even further, to balance on two legs. Matt pushed her chair back and stepped towards the pie safe, but this evening, she didn't reach for the playing cards. The tall blonde woman returned to the table carrying a pie.

"Jenny made apple pie," smiled Matt, "to celebrate Midwest Railroad cancelling the reward."

Heyes thumped all four legs of his chair back down upon the floor as Matt began serving the pie.

"That paper was a week old," reminded Heyes. "For all we know the Midwest Railroad has already put the reward back, or the banks have jumped in with their own rewards, or it could be..."

"Quit being such a pessimist," admonished Jenny with a playful swat of the kitchen towel at Heyes. "We're celebrating. No more reward. No more dead or alive."

"He wouldn't be happy if he didn't have something to worry about," remarked Clem with a wry smile.

"Hmmph," muttered Heyes before he took a bit of his obligatory apple pie. "I'll be happy when we start playing poker."

"No poker for me. The ladies quilting group meets tonight," replied Jenny. The older woman smiled at Clem and Matt. "We're all invited."

Heyes knew the ladies of Thunder Ridge met regularly during the winter for a sewing group, but this was August. Sewing shouldn't interfere with poker playing. He started to splutter an objection, but Clem gave a happy little wriggle as she sat up a bit straighter in her chair and smiled back at Jenny.

"That sounds lovely! We can stop by the school so I can get my sewing basket before the ladies meeting," agreed Clem. The brunette turned to look at Matt. "You're coming too, right?"

"I've never worked on a quilt, but I can sew," hesitated Matt. Her blue eyes glanced to the sewing basket next to Kid's revolver atop the nearby trunk. "Mostly I've stitched up wounds."

Matt's discomfort was evident. Heyes remembered Matt once told him she knew a bit about tending injuries. The tall blonde woman's mother had died leaving the girl to be raised by her father, sheriff of the small Texas town where they resided. For the first time, Heyes wondered, what kind of life was that for a girl? Jenny reached forward and patted her pseudo-daughter-in-law on the forearm.

"Neat and tiny stitches are all that's needed," confirmed Jenny. "Quilting's easier. No blood, and fabric don't cry."

The three women left the cabin soon afterwards, laughing and giggling. Heyes looked across the table at his partner. It was the first time the two men had been alone in the cabin since Kid married Matt.

"I'll scrub," offered Kid as he stood up and began to clear the plates. "You can dry."

"Just like old times," chuckled Heyes.

Kid lifted the steaming pan of hot water off the stove and carried it over to the sink. The tall man pumped a bit more cold water into the pot before adding some soap shavings.

"Cold creek water was good, but dishes get cleaner this way," objected Kid. "And it's nice not to be looking over our shoulders for a posse or a bounty hunter while I'm scrubbing."

The dark haired former outlaw glanced towards Kid's gun sitting on the trunk. Kid caught his eyes as he passed a plate to Heyes.

"Ain't nobody living in this valley planning on shooting us," assured Kid.

"Yeah, just surprised you're not wearing it," agreed Heyes. His own revolver, strapped on before climbing the steep trail, weighed heavily on his hip. "I notice that hasn't stopped you from wearing your gun when you go outside."

"Hmmph, ain't nowhere that safe," snorted Kid as he handed Heyes another plate. "Never know when strangers might show up, and there's all sorts of other things… snakes, coyotes, wolves, cougars, bears…"

"Have you seen strangers? Or any of those creatures?" interrupted Heyes.

Brown eyes glanced out the window to the darkening trail. The women could barely be seen. Kid brought up some valid concerns.

"Ain't seen any strangers," answered Kid. "When I'm hunting, I see all sorts of animal tracks, but not this close to folks and buildings."

Heyes gave an involuntary sigh of relief. Blue eyes turned to look directly at Heyes.

"The problem with trouble is you never know when it's going to show up," reminded Kid as he passed another plate to his partner.

"Even as Smith and Jones, we still have to keep watch," agreed Heyes.

Kid turned back to the remaining dishes. The older Kansan almost missed his partner's next words.

"It would be a might easier to keep watch if you were up here with Mattie and me," stated Kid.

"No. We talked about this yesterday," reminded Heyes. "I'm fine staying at Mrs. Henderson's boarding house. It's closer to the library."

Kid passed Heyes another plate. The stony blue eyed gaze that Kid leveled at Heyes told more than words would ever say. The silver tongue fumbled for a plausible explanation.

"Besides, what if I want to start courting?" asked Heyes. "Better to be in town where all the single ladies…"

Kid's face lit up with a bright grin. Too late, Heyes remembered Thunder Ridge only had two unmarried women, and Susan Henderson was already engaged.

"_Get thee a wife_," chuckled Kid as if he knew something Heyes didn't.

The quote from a Shakespearian play that Heyes had read aloud last winter surprised Heyes, but at least Kid stopped urging him to move back into the cabin. Talk turned to everyday matters. The chicken coop Kid repaired earlier that day no longer wobbled. Heyes would be needed to help him fix the smokehouse roof before it could be used this fall. Both men agreed, Jenny's sourdough bread was the best they'd ever had. Dishes were finished in short order.

"Blackjack?" asked Heyes as he hung up the dish towel. "Or we could haul out the chess set."

"Chess," agreed Kid.

Heyes moved towards the pie safe. The box of chess pieces and a battered old board were tucked beneath. The two men returned back to the table in a companionable silence. While Heyes started unpacking the chess pieces, Kid picked up the old cookbook and flipped through a few pages. The older Kansan almost missed his partner's next words.

"Heyes," asked Kid, "what's it mean… separate an egg?"

-x-x-x-x-x-x

Next Tuesday's stage brought mail, more newspapers and a long awaited package. Heyes glanced up the slope towards the cabin. Dinner at the cabin with Kid and Matt was something Heyes found himself looking forward to at the end of a long day. And tonight was going to be special. Clem and Jenny would both be there, it was Kid's birthday after all. Heyes turned to Clem.

"Are you coming?" asked Heyes.

"Are you going up there now?" asked Clem in a surprised tone. She shook her head. "Go ahead, I'll be up later."

Heyes stopped abruptly as he reached the top of the sloping path. The sound of low chuckles emanated from the cabin. Through the window, Heyes could see Kid and Matt. They had to be standing in front of the stove realized Heyes. The couple appeared to be splattered with batter. Both were smiling, oblivious to Heyes. Kid ran his index finger down the side of Matt's face and held it up before her. Heyes quickly turned away as the tall blond woman stuck out her tongue.

"I'll just read the papers," muttered Heyes to himself as he sat down on a rocky ledge.

Heyes was still reading when Clem and Jenny arrived some time later.

"What are you doing out here?" asked Clem.

"Reading about the Governor's investigation into nearly twenty years of robberies throughout the territory," grumbled Heyes as he waved the newspaper aloft. "You wouldn't believe the lists of bank robberies, train robberies, shootings, and stories of Kid Curry…"

"I get the picture," chuckled Clem.

"No, I don't think you do," replied Heyes as he rose to stand. "Did you know that there are at least four, maybe five different men using the alias Kid Curry?"

"Well there's only one Thaddeus Jones," chuckled Jenny as the friends continued towards the cabin.

The door swung open before them. The sweet aroma of a baking cake wafted through the air. Kid smiled engagingly at them and stepped out onto the porch pulling the door shut behind him.

"Mattie and I spilled cake batter," explained Kid. "She wants to finish mopping the floor before everybody comes inside."

"Happy Birthday!" exclaimed both Jenny and Clem as they greeted the muscular blond with hugs and kisses.

"Happy Birthday partner," greeted Heyes when he finally found himself standing in front of Kid.

"Thanks Heyes," replied Kid.

The door squeaked open behind Kid. A flushed Matt urged everyone inside. Heyes stepped closer and lowered his voice.

"Kid," smirked Heyes, he pointed a narrow taper finger towards the side of Kid's head, "you've got something behind your ear."

Dinner was followed by gift giving. Lilac scented bubble bath from Clem, a warm knitted scarf from Jenny, a new sheepskin jacket from Heyes. Matt had given the framed pen and ink sketch hanging above the fireplace to Kid earlier.

"No dessert for me," replied Heyes as Matt began to slice the cake.

Heyes stood up from the table and walked over to the fireplace to study the sketch. The drawing captured the motion of rearing horses and trail weary men. Looking at the picture, Heyes could almost hear the sound of hooves pounding, hearts beating frantically as two men raced away from danger.

"Do you like it?" asked Matt.

"Huh?" Heyes shook his head to clear it startled to find his cousin's wife standing beside him. "Yeah, I like it."

"The artist called the drawing "_Comrades"_," explained Matt. "He was passing through Texas this past April on his way to Canada. I was lucky he needed money or he probably wouldn't have parted with it."

Spring, thought Heyes, before all the commotion at Thunder Ridge, before Matt came to Thunder Ridge. Heyes nodded. The artist's name printed in block letters was easily legible.

"The only way it could be better is if the artist changed his last name to Colt," teased Heyes.

"Thaddeus said something similar," smiled Matt with a chuckle.

-x-x-x-x-x-x

Three days later, another birthday dinner accompanied by Clem's carrot cake celebrated Heyes' special day. Kid asked Heyes to close his eyes.

"What for?" asked Heyes.

"So you'll be surprised at your birthday present," replied Kid with a chuckle. "Go on now. Close your eyes."

Heyes obediently closed his eyes. Rustling noises told Heyes that Matt walked across the room. Squeaky hinges told him the bedroom door opened and closed.

"Can I look now?"

"Yeah," replied Kid.

Heyes gasped with delight to see the guitar Matt held before her. It had been years since Heyes had played an instrument.

"I knew you'd like it!" exclaimed Clem as a happy smile spread across her face. "We all agreed my idea..."

"Your idea?" interrupted Kid with a chuckle. "I think you've forgotten, the guitar was my idea!"

"I distinctly remember saying..." began Clem.

"No," objected Kid, shaking his head and smiling. "I told you about..."

Heyes and Matt exchanged a glance. Matt's eyebrow arched upwards as if to say she'd heard this before. Heyes wondered how long it took the three of them to decide upon his birthday gift.

"It doesn't matter whose idea it was," smiled Heyes. His nimble fingers began to pluck the strings. "Do you remember the words to this song?"

-x-x-x-x-x-x

"Rider coming," warned Kid two days later. The tall blond straightened up and brushed a blue sleeved arm across his sweaty forehead. "Can't tell who it is from this distance."

Heyes turned from the bale of hay to look at the rider cresting the ridge at Thunder Pass. From where Heyes and Kid stood in the grassy meadow, they could see the homes of Thunder Ridge spread out below them. With the exception of Doc Beauregard and Kyle, all the men of the narrow valley town were up here cutting winter feed for the animals.

"We should go check it out," stated Heyes.

The two men exchanged a glance. Previously, the partners had been the newcomers in town. Now Curry and Heyes were the ones who worried about strangers riding into their town. Kid's right hand dropped to hover near the colt strapped to his hip.

"Yeah," agreed Kid.

-x-x-x-x-x-x

"Wheat," exclaimed Heyes as he rode up to the man dismounting in front of Uriah's stable. "What are you doing here?

"Deputy Carlsen," huffed the older man with a nervous glance to see if anyone was listening. Then, satisfied that no one had overheard, he puffed up his chest self-importantly and replied, "I'm here on official business."

"What kind of official business deputy?" asked Kid. The sweaty blond reined in his horse beside Heyes. Kid tilted his floppy brown hat back. "Thunder Ridge hasn't had any crimes…"

"Sherriff Trevors has me doing in…ves…ti…ga…tive… work," announced Wheat. Then he lowered his voice further. "I brung some papers for you boys and I want to check on Kyle."

"Papers?" asked Heyes. "What kind of papers?"

-x-x-x-x-x-x

"What are you boys doing in Porterville? And get your feet off my desk," hissed Lom later that evening when he returned from midnight rounds.

"Lom," chided Kid, "is that any way to greet old friends?"

Heyes rose to stand as the big lawman approached. Their old friend looked tired.

"We got your message," said Heyes softly.

"Then you ought to know better than to come here," grumbled Lom as he sat down at his desk. "You boys are supposed to be safe in Thunder Ridge."

"We just wanted to make sure you were alright," answered Heyes. He held up the papers Wheat had brought, a list of bank and train robberies. "Your letter had us a bit worried."

"And Wheat saying he's on permanent assignment at Thunder Ridge got us even more worried," added Kid with a grim smile. "What's going on Lom?"

"The Governor's special investigation committee, that's what's going on," huffed Lom. "I have never seen a bigger bunch of dadblamed fools in all my life."

"We don't want you getting in trouble Lom," reminded Heyes, "and we don't want to lose the amnesty."

"If there still is an amnesty," added Kid with a frown.

"Boys, I need information," sighed Lom, "I need to be able to tell what McIntyre and Carstairs did."

"Lom, we don't know what they did," insisted Heyes. "Some days we can't even remember what we did."

"The last robbery we did was spring 1880, a train," said Kid as he took several pages from Heyes and crumpled the papers, tossing them into the waste basket.

"The last bank job was the Hanford Bank and Trust October 1879," added Heyes. The dark haired former outlaw leaned forward, placing the papers on Lom's desk. Heyes drew a line through figure denoting bank loss. "We didn't get the amount listed on this paper you got here."

Heyes added lines to the remaining pages. Some robberies he crossed through entirely. Others, he only marked through the amount taken. When he finished writing, Heyes pushed the papers towards Lom. Heyes tapped a date.

"Anything before this date," stated Heyes firmly, "Kid wasn't involved."

Lom started to say something, but Kid spoke first.

"We've kept our end of the deal for a whole lot longer than one year," reminded Kid. "Is the Governor gonna keep his part of the deal?"

-x-x-x-x-x-x

"Lom," greeted Heyes three weeks later. "Good to see you again."

The lawman dismounted and looped his reins over the hitching post at the Thunder Ridge livery.

"I need to speak to you and your partner," stated Lom in a heavy voice.

"Have you heard anything from our mutual friend?"

Lom looked towards the cabin.

"Maybe we should talk in private," suggested Lom.

-x-x-x-x-x-x

"A posthumous pardon? For both of us?" exploded Heyes. "That wasn't the deal!"

"This governor didn't make that first deal," reminded Lom.

The slender dark haired man pushed his chair back away from the dinner table and started pacing the cabin floor. Matt placed a slice of pie and a cup of coffee in front of the lawman, but Lom continued watching Heyes. Behind Matt, Clem crossed her arms and followed Heyes' with her eyes.

"The governor agreed to go along with the deal when he took office," reminded Kid. "Didn't he?"

"The way the governor sees it, he isn't obligated to follow through on the amnesty offer," explained Lom, "especially considering the previous bunch of governor's never followed through."

"It's a sneaky plan," sighed Kid. "Even for a politician."

"The amnesty papers are worthless," exclaimed Heyes.

"Not worthless," objected Lom. "Pretty valuable if you ask me."

"What do you mean?" asked Kid.

"Midwest Railroad cancelled the reward and the original wanted posters, all the other banks have cancelled their reward offers too," reminded Lom. "And now the Governor is officially saying the territory of Wyoming thinks you both are dead."

"There's no reason for anyone to look for Kid Curry or Hannibal Heyes," said Clem softly.

"Smith and Jones," groaned Heyes.

Kid turned to look at Heyes.

"You say that like it's a bad thing," said Kid shaking his head. "If you don't like those names, we can always go back to Rembacker and Hotchkiss, or Terwilliger and Owens."

"My name is Hannibal Aloysius Heyes!" protested Heyes.

A sudden silence followed Heyes' outburst. Heyes looked from Lom to Matt to Clem and finally settled his gaze upon his partner.

"That Shakespeare fella you're so fond of reading had some things to say about names," reminded Kid in a soft voice.

"_He that filches from me my good name robs me of that which not enriches him, and makes me poor indeed_," recited Heyes glumly.

"Actually, I was thinking of the one that asked _what's in a name?_" countered Kid. "You might want to remember who said the one you just quoted."

Heyes stared at Kid. Sometimes he wondered if his partner paid any attention when Heyes read aloud. Times like this reminded Heyes that Kid always listened. The false friend bemoaning his lost good name was a villain, worse than all the governors with their false promises. The words Kid quoted were said by a young woman in love. Juliet told Romeo she loved him despite his name. Was that, or something like it, what Matt had told Kid when she agreed to marry Thaddeus Jones?

"And didn't Aunt Katie tell you Uncle Arthur was using an alias?" continued Kid. "For all you know, Uncle Arthur's real name was Fionn McCool… and your real name is Hannibal McCool... Hannibal Aloysius McCool."

Brown eyes blinked at the absurdity of it all. The chuckles that bubbled up from the depths of Heyes' belly erupted with a loud snort of laughter. Kid joined in, followed by Clem, Matt and Lom.

"Partner that name is worse than Hannibal Heyes," said Heyes. The slender Kansan extended his hand towards Kid as if to shake, and continued, "Allow me to introduce myself. Joshua Smith, the unwanted man."

"Don't say that!"

"No!"

"Not unwanted!"

The jumble of voices left Heyes unable to tell who said what, but he heard the next words clearly.

"You boys will always be wanted," smiled Clem, "no matter what name you use."

"There's one thing I don't understand Heyes," asked Kid, "why are you so upset about us being Smith and Jones now? As I recollect, you did tell me being Smith and Jones was a good idea."

"Kid, it's the principal of the matter," answered Heyes. "The governor's robbed us!"

Blue eyes looked at eyes in surprise. Then Kid's lips curled up in a grin.

"Well I guess that's only fair," replied Kid.

-x-x-x-x-x-x


	6. Life on Thunder Ridge

Disclaimer: Alias Smith and Jones does not belong to me. This is fan fiction, not for profit.

Any references to people, places, businesses, etc. are entirely fictitious.

A/N – story presumes the details on the wanted posters are not entirely accurate. Story exists in the same story verse as Kid Plans, South By Southeast, and Trouble In Texas but should also stand alone.

Life on Thunder Ridge

-x-x-x-x-x-x

"The county library budget plan is impossible," muttered Heyes in frustration. "Trying to balance these numbers is worse than planning a bank job."

The former outlaw dropped the papers he was reviewing on his desk. His white Henley peaked out beneath the rolled up sleeves of his black shirt as he ran a hand through his dark hair. Strands of silver hair showed at the edges of his temples.

"Doc! Doc!" called a frantic voice.

Brown eyes looked up in concern. Heyes hurried across the room, stopped and leaned against the library door as he watched Charlie Henderson run into the boarding house. The door across the corridor opened. Doc Beauregard glanced briefly at Heyes before turning towards the oncoming man.

"It's Felicity…," shouted Charlie.

"I can hear you fine young man," responded Beauregard with a tetchy frown.

"But Doc…," spluttered Charlie.

From conversation during the occasional evening playing whist with Jenny, the older Mrs. Henderson and Doc Beauregard, Heyes had learned the birth of the couple's seventh child nearly resulted in tragedy. Eighteen month old Samuel, was a happy healthy child now, but his early arrival was the reason Mrs. Henderson advertised for a physician to come to Thunder Ridge. She got Neville Beauregard.

"I'm coming," replied gray haired medical man.

Beauregard reached for his medical bag and made to follow Charlie, but he stopped and addressed Heyes.

"Would you be so kind as to let Mr. Wolfe know his assistance is required?" requested Beauregard.

"Huh?" asked Heyes, caught off guard.

Since first meeting Beauregard, Heyes had wondered about the man. The doctor hadn't been very helpful when Kid had been injured. Lobo assured Heyes that Beauregard was a good doctor, but Lobo avoided the man. Heyes knew that Kyle was walking fine now thanks to Beauregard's splint, but the physician mainly spent his time napping in the old rocker on the front porch. The only thing Heyes knew for sure was that Beauregard was a lousy card player.

"Your shaggy haired friend," responded Beauregard. "I believe Mr. Wolfe is over at the stable with the other men loading hay into the loft."

The doctor shook his head and muttered something which sounded suspiciously like _"waste of his talents."_ Heyes racked his brain. Kid, Wheat, Kyle, Lobo and Preacher were all over at the livery helping Uriah, but only one could be described as shaggy.

"Do you mean Lobo?" asked Heyes.

"Yes, Mr. Wolfe," huffed Beauregard impatiently as he followed Charlie outside. "And tell him to hurry up!"

-x-x-x-x-x-x

"That poor child," murmured Heyes some hours later. He leaned against Kid's workbench and waited for his partner to finish putting away his tools. "What a name!"

Thunder Ridge's newest resident arrived by way of Caesarean section. Mother and baby were doing fine. Charlie, who had fainted when Doctor Beauregard started the surgery, was also resting comfortably. The elder Mrs. Henderson was in her glory, rocking her newest grandson and singing the praises of Doctor Beauregard and his assistant Mr. Wolfe. Lobo.

"Neville Llewellyn Henderson is a mouthful," agreed Kid with a chuckle. With a knowing look at Heyes, he added, "Almost as bad some other names I could think of."

"Briggson Llewellyn Wolfe," replied Heyes. He rolled his dark brown eyes. "No wonder he prefers being called Lobo."

Lobo had always been the one to treat wounds and illness back at Devil's Hole. Heyes hadn't given too much thought as to where the shaggy haired man had learned these skills, mainly Heyes had been glad to have his help. Today, Doctor Beauregard had needed help and he'd called upon a former medical student.

"And Neville Beauregard is a real doctor," continued Heyes in disbelief. "A specialist in abdominal surgery."

"How did Doc Beauregard know to ask Lobo for help?" asked Kid. "I've never seen the two of them even speak to each other."

The muscular blond reached for a stack of envelopes. Mail from the stage delivery earlier, realized Heyes. The former outlaw leader recognized the logo of Henry's store, _Finest Firearms_, on one of the envelopes. A second lavender colored envelope was addressed with unfamiliar handwriting. Kid held the third envelope towards Heyes. A dimpled smile lit up Heyes' face as he reached for the letter from Aunt Katie.

"I asked Lobo the same question," answered Heyes. "Beauregard and Lobo both worked in the same army hospital during the last part of the war."

"Lobo is a doctor too?" asked Kid with a surprised tone.

"No, Lobo was a medical assistant in one of the hospitals," clarified Heyes. Remembering his own brief visit long ago to an army hospital, Heyes shuddered. "I can't imagine what it would be like working there."

Heyes tucked the envelope into his inside vest pocket. Reading letters after dinner was something to be savored. Letters were even better than reading the newspaper or books. The partners exited Kid's workshop and started up the trail to the cabin. Some days, these quiet walks were the only time the two busy men had to talk on their own.

"You shaved off those whiskers," commented Heyes with a gesture towards Kid's clean jawline.

"I'm not planning on leaving Thunder Ridge any time soon," replied Kid. A strong hand rubbed the side of his jaw. "Next Spring, when we go back to Cheyenne, I will grow the whiskers back again."

Heyes nodded. The two men climbed the steep trail in a companionable silence. They were nearly at the cabin, when Heyes spoke again.

"Did you see where Lobo went?" asked Heyes.

"He headed up to the bunkhouse," answered Kid. "After all the commotion, Lobo said he wanted a drink."

Heyes looked beyond Kid and Matt's cabin to the trail leading towards the old mine. The former outlaws had framed out the entrance and a good twenty feet of the interior to the mine, making a bunk house of sorts in the old shaft. Wheat, Kyle, and Preacher left the stable when Heyes called Lobo to assist Beauregard. Remembering times at Devil's Hole when the boys got into too much whisky, Heyes pursed his lips in a small worried frown.

"I didn't know the boys brought any liquor up to the bunkhouse," responded Heyes. "When did they leave Thunder Ridge to buy whisky?"

Kid stopped walking. He tilted his curly blond head sideways and looked at Heyes with a quizzical expression.

"They didn't. Wheat sent supplies from when he was in Porterville," explained Kid. "Kyle's making homebrew."

"A still?" demanded Heyes. "Kyle's got a still?"

-x-x-x-x-x-x

The partners stopped briefly at the cabin. Heyes waited on the front porch, tapping his booted toes on the wide planks, while Kid took the mail inside and spoke to Matt for a moment. A rather long moment in Heyes' mind. The quiet murmurs inside the cabin finally stopped. Kid stepped outside again, pulling the door shut behind him. The blond partner gestured towards the trail leading to the old mine.

"After you Joshua," grinned Kid.

"Hmmph, after you Thaddeus," gestured Heyes. Kid's blue eyes rolled for a moment, before the tall blond clambered down the stairs and turned north. Heyes hurried to catch up with his partner. He called out, "And maybe you can tell me how this whole still thing started!"

"Kyle got bored when his leg was all splinted up," answered Kid. "He needed something to keep himself busy. So he put together the still."

"Seriously? Is that all you've got to say? Kyle got bored?" repeated Heyes. Brown eyes glared at the back of his partner as Kid strode up the steep trail. "Why didn't you tell me about this sooner?"

Kid paused a moment in his assent and turned to look over his shoulder at Heyes.

"Thought you knew," answered Kid. "Hey- Joshua, you need to get out of that library more often."

"Well I didn't know," huffed Heyes, "or I would have stopped it."

The folks in Thunder Ridge didn't see Wheat, Kyle, Lobo and Preacher often, which was a good thing in Heyes opinion. The men spent most of their days up at the old mine, coming down only to help out with community tasks like building the schoolhouse or making hay.

"If they're gonna stay in Thunder Ridge they have to keep a low profile too," continued Heyes, "We don't want them getting arrested."

"Their wanted posters never were very accurate," replied Kid. Laughter shone in Kid's blue eyes. "And nobody here thinks of Lom's part-time assistant deputy as an outlaw."

Kid had a point. To be fair, Wheat's last wanted poster showed a line drawing of the man before he grew his bushy mustache. And the posters for Lobo, under the various names of Lobo Briggs, Lobo Riggs, and unidentified bandit had never been very detailed. The posters on Kyle and Preacher had even less information. The last old wanted posters on the outlaws seemed to be long forgotten and hardly described the now nearly fifty year old, or more, men. Maybe hiding in plain sight would work for all of them.

"Why a still?" asked Heyes as the partners continued climbing.

"Kyle, Lobo and Preacher need a way to make money too," reminded Kid. "Kyle knows how to make whisky, Lobo and Preacher can make sure it gets sold."

Heyes nodded in understanding. Going straight was expensive. Wheat's job as part-time assistant deputy probably paid less than Heyes own government paid position as librarian. Kid's work repairing guns brought him and Matt some cash money, but mostly the couple scratched out a living from the land. Gold scraped from the old mine paid the major expense, taxes.

"But a still?" objected Heyes in a worried tone. "Don't you remember what happened the last time?"

"This isn't anything like when the shed blew up back at Devil's hole," responded Kid. "Kyle tells me this one is safe."

"What makes you think that Kyle is right this time?" demanded Heyes.

"Kyle knows explosions," answered Kid as they reached the mine entrance. Blue eyes turned to look at Heyes. "Kyle did warn you about the shed, remember? And this still isn't inside a building. Kyle built it outside, in the clearing just past the waterfall."

Heyes nodded in agreement as they reached the old mine. The thirty-eight year old former outlaw bent over, hands on knees as Heyes panted in exertion. New construction gave mute testimony to the fact that this hole in the ground was now occupied. A smoking stove pipe protruded out the wall and turned upwards. Kid rapped on the door to Wheat, Kyle, Lobo and Preacher's living quarters. After a moment, Preacher opened the door. The older man held a finger to his lips.

"Sssh," whispered Preacher as he opened the door wider. "Lobo's sleeping."

"Is he drunk already?" asked Kid.

The tall blond stepped inside the mine turned bunkhouse followed by Heyes. The sound of snores emanated from the bed closest to the rear door of the bunkroom. Closer to the cast iron stove, Wheat and Kyle sat on rickety stools facing a checkerboard and pieces atop the upturned crate that served as their table.

"You know how he gets," was Preacher's only response. "Fine when he's tending a hurt, but afterwards…"

Preacher's voice trailed off. Heyes remembered. Back at Devil's Hole, Lobo tended to get himself rip roaring drunk after treating bloody wounds. The more blood seen, the more Lobo drank until he finally passed out. When Lobo woke up, he wouldn't talk about it.

"Kyle, Wheat," greeted Heyes.

The checkers playing men turned to look at their visitors. The little former outlaw gave Heyes a bright smile, while Wheat merely nodded.

"Heyes, it's good to see you," responded Kyle. "Kid told me you hadn't forgot about us."

Dark brown eyes shot a glance at his partner. Kid shrugged and didn't look at him. Both the school and the library opened the previous month. As the days rolled into October, Heyes found himself holed up inside Thunder Ridge library working, pacing, and planning. Some days, the only time Heyes left Mrs. Henderson's boarding house was to go have supper with Kid and Matt.

"Kyle, no one could forget you," smiled Heyes at his old friend. "I'm sorry, but I've been busy."

"Tha's alright," nodded Kyle. The chaw moved from one side of his mouth to the other. Kyle added, "We've been busy too."

"So I've heard," agreed Heyes. "You built a still?"

Kyle nodded proudly before turning back to the checkers board and moving a red circular piece. Thump. Thump. Thump. Kyle began removing the black pieces he had taken from Wheat.

"Yep, let Lobo have a taste today, but the recipe is really not ready yet," answered Kyle. Then he reminded Wheat, "King me."

Heyes grinned and shook his head at the look on Wheat's face. The burly man reluctantly added a red topper to Kyle's piece.

"Kyle," began Heyes again, "don't you think a still could be dangerous?"

"Nah," replied Kyle not taking his eyes off the board.

"A still could explode," reminded Heyes, "like the one in Devil's Hole."

"No," objected Kyle shaking his head. "Ermaline and I have an understanding, she ain't gonna explode anytime soon."

"Ermaline?" asked Heyes.

"He means the still," explained Wheat.

The burly mustached man moved a black piece. Kyle grinned and promptly moved one of his red pieces. Wheat frowned, staring at the changed board.

"You named the still?" questioned Heyes, his voice rising higher in incredulity.

Kyle nodded, a big grin spread across his face, blue eyes twinkled. The little former outlaw chomped on his tobacco and spit off to one side, missing the container by the stove.

"Yep, she's a beauty," replied Kyle.

"Why do you think this still won't explode?" asked Heyes. "The other one did!"

"Didn't I tell you the old one was gonna explode?" reminded Kyle.

"Yeah, you did," agreed Heyes. The slender man shrugged his shoulders at the futility of this situation. "Are you sure this one won't blow up?"

The little outlaw nodded again. Heyes rolled his dark brown eyes.

"Fine, but nobody from town can know about this," ordered Heyes. With a gesture at his partner, Heyes added, "And you've got to quite calling us Heyes and Kid. I'm Joshua Smith, he's Thaddeus Jones."

"Well now Heyes, I mean Joshua, that's gonna be a little hard…," objected Kyle.

"It's important Kyle," interrupted Heyes, "you've got to use the names Smith and Jones."

"Not the names," replied Kyle, "the other part."

"What do you mean?" demanded Heyes.

"Mrs. Henderson already knows about the still," answered Kyle.

"Yeah," chuckled Wheat in a gloating tone. "She came up here yesterday."

"She did?" asked Heyes. "Mrs. Henderson knows about the still?"

"Mrs. Henderson wants to buy the first bottle when it's ready," grinned Wheat. "Said something about needing whisky for her eggnog recipe."

-x-x-x-x-x-x

"Mattie, you started without us," accused Kid in mock dismay.

Heyes followed his partner inside the cabin. Both Matt and Clem looked up at the two men. The lavender colored envelope lay open upon the table. Matt held similar lavender colored sheets of paper in her hands. Clem sat beside the tall woman, leaning forward to read the tiny writing.

"Clem," greeted Heyes. The warmth in his voice was undisguised. "Matt."

Kid dropped a kiss on Clem's forehead before moving closer to Matt. Kid trailed feather light kisses from Matt's upturned forehead, down the side of her face, until he finally reached her lips. Heyes looked away, and found himself facing Clem.

"Ahem," coughed Heyes.

Clem turned away from Heyes' brown eyes as Kid and Matt broke apart.

"Now was that kiss for me?" teased Matt with a bright smile. The tall blonde waved the lavender papers as if fanning herself. "Or for the recipe?"

A grin spread across Kid's face. He reached for the papers, but Matt pulled the pages away, keeping them just out of reach.

"Is that what I think it is?" asked Kid.

"Yes! Eula Mae sent the peach cobbler recipe," crowed Matt. The Texas woman raised one of the pages up before Kid's face. "We can try making it tomorrow, but right now, let's get supper on the table."

A constant stream of chatter accompanied the flurry of activity. Matt and Clem got food and dishes to the table, while Kid and Heyes scrubbed up.

"Eula Mae said everyone is doing fine," informed Matt as she ladled out stew into the big bowls. "Lucinda started school last month and little Claudia is walking now."

"How is Sheriff Coltrane doing?" asked Heyes as he seated himself beside Clem.

"Fine, Uncle Eustace is training another new deputy," chuckled Matt. "Hopefully this man will stay a while."

Heyes blinked in surprise. Sheriff Coltrane had once said Matt was family, but hadn't specified the relationship.

"So you and Eula Mae are cousins," prodded Heyes.

Matt nodded as she sat down next to Kid. Clem passed a basket full of biscuits and started talking about her student's music lessons. It wasn't until after dinner the rest of the letters were opened.

"Clovis sent an announcement of upcoming sales," sighed Kid as he put down the envelope from _Finest Firearms_.

Heyes knew it irked Kid to not be able to contact his brother directly. The real family news was in the letter Heyes now opened.

"Aunt Katie sends everyone her best regards," began Heyes. Brown eyes narrowed as he tried to read the elegant, flourishing script. "She says Mary Moira likes her class and has a new best friend. Owen has learned six new words, including three that he shouldn't say…"

"Now where do you suppose little Owen heard those three words?" laughed Kid.

"They're planning a trip to Medicine Bow in the spring, probably late May, and family from Pennsylvania are hoping to be there as well," continued Heyes. A dimpled smile spread across his face as he looked across the table to his partner. "Do you want to go?"

A short while later, Heyes escorted Clem back down the mountainside. Clem had resumed talking about her student's music lessons as soon as the pair had left Kid and Matt's cabin.

"You seem a bit upset," realized Heyes.

Clem stopped walking abruptly and turned her head to look at Heyes. The tiny woman frowned.

"You haven't been listening to a word I said," accused Clem.

"That's not true," protested Heyes. "I heard you. You said you needed help with the music lessons. I want to help. What can I do?"

At Clem's look of disbelief, Heyes upped the ante.

"I'll do anything!" offered Heyes.

"Anything?" challenged Clem.

"Anything," agreed Heyes.

"My student's need an accompanist for their music lessons, every Wednesday," replied Clem. "Bring your guitar tomorrow at three o'clock."

-x-x-x-x-x-x

"There's a rider coming."

Heyes looked up from his desk at the sound of Kid's voice. His partner stood before him, framed in the library doorway. Red sleeved arms pressed against each side of the door frame.

"Really?" asked Heyes keeping his tone light. "Maybe it's Mr. Townsend from Four Corners finally returning _King Solomon's Mines_."

"Nope, not Townsend's horse," replied Kid. The tall blond gestured with his left hand. The spyglass was evident. "Wheat says it's the same man that was asking questions about us in Porterville a few months back."

"Not…" began Heyes.

"Yep," answered Kid, "Harry. Harry Briscoe."

-x-x-x-x-x-x

"Let's talk in private," urged Heyes.

The thin, mustached man shivered in his lightweight coat. November had brought cold, but so far no snow. Harry released the reins and Uriah took his horse to the stable.

"Anywhere Jones," agreed Harry, "as long as we get out of this wind."

"I'm Smith, he's Jones," hissed Heyes.

"This way Harry," directed Kid. The muscular blond pulled his sheepskin coat tighter and pointed to the trail leading upwards to the cabin. "Might even get some hot coffee in you."

Harry's expression brightened at Kid's suggestion. As the Bannerman detective agent moved to follow Kid, Heyes clapped an arm across his shoulder.

"We heard you were chasing after a bank examiner turned robber. That's dangerous work," prodded Heyes in an admiring fashion.

Harry puffed up with pride. The Bannerman detective squirmed free of Heyes grasp. Harry tugged on the lapels of his coat and pulled the straps of his suspenders. For a moment, he looked the epitome of a successful detective.

"Went all the way up through Montana to the Canadian border," boasted Harry.

"Did you ever catch up with Carstairs?" asked Heyes. "Or the woman with dark hair that broke him out of the Porterville jail? Who was she?"

Harry's shoulders slumped and he crossed his arms in front of his chest, shivering again. Harry bent his head against the wind as the men continued the steep trail upwards.

"No, I didn't catch Carstairs," admitted Harry in a rueful tone. "But I know who the woman was. She was Carstairs daughter, Etta."

An expression of disbelief appeared upon Heyes face. It hadn't occurred to the clever former outlaw to think that the odious Carstairs had ever managed to get married, let alone sire a child. Something in his face made Harry hurry to explain as they climbed the porch steps.

"Even an outlaw gets to have a family," grumbled Harry.

Kid grinned as he pushed open the cabin door and ushered Harry and Heyes inside.

"I'm glad to hear you say that," chuckled Kid. Gesturing towards the two blonde women gazing at the new arrivals quizzically, Kid added, "Let me introduce you to my wife Matt and my mother Jenny Black."

Harry looked from Kid to Jenny in confusion. The mustached man curled up his lips and squinted as he tilted his head to one side.

"I know you can't be using the Curry name, but shouldn't your last name be Jones?" blurted out Harry.

Jenny rolled her eyes and gave a low throaty laugh as she waved her hand dismissively. She responded with the same explanation that she had given the judge at the long ago inquest.

"Thaddeus' father was my first husband," replied Jenny. "After he passed, I married again."

Jenny batted her eyelashes and smiled appraisingly at Harry. The detective gulped and tugged his starched white shirt collar away from his throat.

"Mr. Black passed on too. Now I'm all alone except for my son and friends," added Jenny as she stepped towards the door. She smiled at Harry even more coquettishly. "Perhaps we'll meet again."

-x-x-x-x-x-x

"Made it all the way up to Havre, Montana," boasted Harry. He swallowed another sip of hot coffee, before adding, "Almost caught Carstairs on more than one occasion."

"You mean Carstairs and his daughter," prompted Heyes. "Don't you?"

"Nah, lost trace of her somewhere around Rock Creek," replied Harry. The detective shook his head dismissively at first, but then stopped and looked sharply at Kid. "Did you know there are a bunch of Curry's living up Montana way?"

"What?" asked Kid in surprise.

"They used to be in Colorado with a fella called George or Flat Nose," continued Harry with a sly look. "There are at least three or four brothers, including one that is sometimes called Harvey, sometimes Kid Curry. He's a real wild 'un. A fast draw."

"Giving the Curry name a bad reputation," replied Kid with a sour expression on his face.

"This young fella might even be as fast as that outlaw Jedidiah "Kid" Curry," mused Harry.

"Ain't nobody that fast," blurted out Heyes. With an apologetic glance at Kid, Heyes continued, "Of course no one will ever know for sure."

"I guess you're right, no one will ever know," agreed Harry as he picked up his coffee cup again. With a wink, Harry added, "I do recollect hearing the governor pardoned ole what's his name and the other fella posthumously."

Hot coffee was followed by chicken stew with dumplings, while the foursome talked on. Finally, Harry pushed back his plate.

"Mmm," sighed Harry in satisfaction. The thin man looked across the table at Matt. "Miz Jones, you sure do make a mighty fine supper, but I'm going to have to be leaving now…"

"Mr. Briscoe," objected Matt in a quiet tone as she gestured towards the now darkened front window, "I don't think either you or Joshua are going anywhere tonight. It's snowing."

-x-x-x-x-x-x

"Three days snowed in a cabin with Harry Briscoe is enough to drive me crazy," hissed Heyes. "All I have to do is go downhill!"

"Joshua," coaxed Kid, "it's still snowing. Even going to the outhouse is dangerous. You can't leave now."

"At least you and Matt get some peace and quiet when you shut the door to your room," huffed Heyes. The slender man gestured to the two single beds in the front room. "Harry even talks in his sleep!"

"When the snow lets up, you can take him down to Mrs. Henderson's boarding house," suggested Kid.

"The boarding house?" repeated Heyes, realization slowly sinking in.

"And Joshua_,_ would you do me a favor?" pleaded Kid.

"What?" asked Heyes glumly.

"Make sure he stays away from Jenny," asked Kid. "Harry Briscoe is not meant to be Thaddeus Jones' stepfather."

The front door opened and Harry stomped back inside rubbing and shaking to get the snow off of him.

"I'm sure glad you've got a rope tied from the porch to the outhouse. Can't see anything in this storm," remarked Harry. "I can tell I'm going to be late getting back to Denver. Do you know how long these storms usually last? "

"The storms and snowfall amounts vary," replied Heyes as he slumped back down into his chair. "And the pass usually gets snowed in. You could be here all winter."

-x-x-x-x-x-x

"What? No!" hissed Heyes after dinner.

"Yes," insisted Clem.

Christmas Day found all the residents of Thunder Ridge gathered in the big boarding house. Mrs. Henderson had pushed back the pocket doors normally separating the big dining room from the wide corridor to create more open space.

"Those wild hooligans don't look like they're ready to sing," protested Heyes.

"They're not hooligans! The children are just tired of being cooped up inside," reminded Clem. "And only the five oldest, my students, will be performing."

Snowfall off and on for the last several days curtailed outdoor activities. The evergreen outside in the central square was decorated only in white this year. Sunshine and clear skies today allowed the townsfolk to join together in celebration. Heyes' brown eyes widened as he watched the Cole twins and five of the Henderson brood stampede down the hallway away from the big dining room.

"Go get your guitar," urged Clem.

The tiny brunette rose to stand before Heyes could voice any further objections. She smiled at the assembled townsfolk seated along the long dinner table.

"Ladies and gentleman, tonight we have a special treat," announced Clem with a bright smile.

Voices chattering about the heavily laden table stilled as the surrounding adults turned to look at the schoolteacher. At the far end of the table, Kid set down his fork, swallowed the last bite of his apple pie and grinned. The partners hadn't had a chance to speak with each other since Kid and Matt had arrived just before the evening meal. Heyes had only a moment to wonder if Kid knew about Clem's plan before the diminutive woman started speaking again.

"Our students will sing a variety of Christmas songs," continued Clem. "The children have been practicing very hard and will be accompanied by Mr. Smith on the guitar."

"I see Smith," chuckled Uriah, "but I don't see no guitar."

"He's going to get it," responded Clem. Hazel eyes shot a sharp glance at Heyes. In a low voice, she added, "Now!"

"Right," agreed Heyes. He pushed back his chair and stood up tossing his napkin beside his plate. In a low voice that only Clem could hear, Heyes complained, "When you asked me to help out with music lessons, you didn't tell me you had a performance planned!"

Clem smiled ever so sweetly. Eyelashes fluttered as she tilted her head and looked up at Heyes.

"Quit griping, you know you want to," whispered Clem. Then the petite woman turned to face the children running down the corridor. Clem beckoned and called in a louder voice, "Walter, Louisa, Emily, Parker, Preston."

By the time Heyes returned with his guitar, Clem had the children standing near the fireplace. A chair awaited him. The three older Henderson children surrounded the chair. The Cole twins, Parker and Preston, flanked either side. Heyes settled into his seat and adjusted the guitar upon his lap. Heyes strummed the first chords, before he began to pluck the melody. Clem's voice rose to lead her students in the first song. One by one the children's voices joined in.

"Away in a Manger…"

-x-x-x-x-x-x

"From where I sat, I couldn't tell who was more nervous," chuckled Kid, "the children or you."

"Clem set me up," exclaimed Heyes. "She never said anything about performing for the whole town!"

Heyes reached for the ladle. He poured himself a cup of eggnog and took a big swig. Brown eyes blinked at the sharp tang of whisky.

"Where did you learn that first song from?" asked Kid as Heyes started to cough.

"Clem found it in one of her schoolbooks," spluttered Heyes.

The slender man gestured towards the songbook next to his guitar. Kid leaned forward and turned the book so he could read the title.

"_Dainty songs for little lads and lasses for use in the kindergarten, school and home_, by James R. Murray," read Kid.

With his breathing under control, Heyes smiled and took another sip of the potent eggnog.

"Can you play a lullaby?" asked Kid.

Heyes looked at the Henderson brood now running and squealing as they circled the dining room table and ran back out into the corridor. In comparison, the Cole twins were relatively quiet. Dueling harmonicas didn't quite have the same decibel level.

"Don't know one," laughed Heyes shaking his head. "And I don't think a lullaby is gonna put them to sleep any time soon."

"I wasn't thinking about them," replied Kid.

Heyes looked up at his partner. Blue eyes glowed as the blond man looked across the crowded room. A smile curled up on Kid's lips and spread across his face.

"Mattie told me this morning," confided Kid in a soft voice. "Best Christmas gift I've ever had."

Brown eyes widened in realization. Heyes' jaw dropped open. He tried to say something, but then closed his mouth. Heyes turned to look at the woman his partner had married. The genius had gotten to know Matt a little better since the woman had arrived at Thunder Ridge, but sometimes, he still felt she was a stranger. And now…

"I figure you've got about six months to learn," added Kid.

-x-x-x-x-x-x


	7. A Storm Approaches 1893

Disclaimer: Alias Smith and Jones does not belong to me. This is fan fiction, not for profit.

Any references to people, places, businesses, etc. are entirely fictitious.

A/N – story presumes the details on the wanted posters are not entirely accurate. Story exists in the same story verse as Kid Plans, South By Southeast, and Trouble In Texas but should also stand alone.

A Storm Approaches 1893

-x-x-x-x-x-x

"Were you able to locate the book?" asked Heyes.

The former outlaw looked up from his desk as the thin man entered the librarian's office. The cuffs of Heyes' white sleeved shirt were rolled up nearly to his elbows. A brown waistcoat protected the body of his white shirt from ink spatters. Heyes set the stamp down upon the black ink pad and shoved the stack of books to one side.

"Of course I did Joshua," declared Harry.

Briscoe stepped closer to Heyes' desk. The pencil thin mustache above Harry's lips jiggled up and down as the man grinned in self-satisfaction. Harry held out the thick volume towards Heyes.

"Harry Briscoe always delivers!" preened the former Bannerman detective.

"What was it this time?" asked Heyes.

"Oh the usual," laughed Harry. "Miss Clearson loaned it to Miss Whitehurst who let Miss Perkins borrow it…"

Heyes shook his head as Harry rambled on. This spring, the library's copy of _Wuthering Heights_ kept disappearing. Between the teenage girls from Four Corners, the nearby ranches and the older schoolgirls attending class in Thunder Ridge, the growing county library was hard pressed to keep track of its only copy.

"Good job Harry," praised Heyes as he took the book from Harry's outstretched hand.

Nearly five years since Harry's arrival on a cold November afternoon, the former Bannerman detective still resided at Mrs. Henderson's boarding house in Thunder Ridge. The 1889 spring thaw found Briscoe without a job. Sometime during the long winter, the Bannerman Detective Agency had folded. The mystery of where Mr. Bannerman and all the company funds had disappeared to was still unsolved. With no other work experience, Harry Briscoe decided to set up his own detective agency, in Thunder Ridge. For a while, Harry's office merely consisted of a chair in the public library.

"Ahem," Harry cleared his throat meaningfully.

Heyes' desperation to get the talkative man out of the library resulted in Harry's first real job. No denying it, Harry had a knack when it came to retrieving lost objects. The bumbling man located the missing book _King Solomon's Mines._ Although now Harry actually had a somewhat steady business, he still did the occasional job for Heyes tracking down missing library books.

"Oh yes, Harry," smiled Heyes. "Wouldn't want to forget your fee."

Heyes fumbled with the chain attached to his pocket watch. The small key on the end opened the library's petty cash box. The slender man withdrew the customary two dollars. Considering the price of replacing a book, the finder's fee was a bargain.

"Will you be playing whist tonight?" asked Harry as he accepted the money. "Your seat at the table…"

Harry, Jenny, Doc Beauregard and Mrs. Henderson still played their weekly game of whist. Despite Kid's initial worry, nothing ever came of Jenny's flirtatious behavior towards Harry, unless you counted playing whist. They both seemed content. Jenny liked to flirt and Harry liked attention. Harry also liked playing whist and didn't seem to understand how delighted Heyes was to relinquish his seat at the table.

"No, no, I've told you before, you don't have to ask. Please continue to stand in," answered Heyes. "I've got to lock up here. I won't be back until later, after supper."

"Sure thing Joshua," replied Harry with a relieved smile. "Glad to get one more game in before my trip to Omaha. I may have a lead on Bannerman."

Heyes followed Harry out of his office and pulled the door behind him. The new library building housed many more books than the first parlor turned library. In addition to the mismatched upholstered chairs, there was now room for three long tables and a dozen straight back chairs. The students working at the tables gathered up their papers and books at the men's approach.

"Closing time," reminded Heyes as he walked over to shelve the newly returned novel.

"Yes sir, Mr. Smith," replied Walter Henderson. With a nod to the other two students, neither of whom Heyes recognized, the youth added, "Let's go."

At fifteen, the gangling young man now stood three inches taller than Heyes. The dark haired Kansan ushered everyone outside and locked the library door. Across the way, the door of Kid's repair shop was already locked. Thaddeus Jones' gift for mechanical repairs extended beyond guns. Kid's business had long since outgrown the tiny work area in Uriah's stable and was now housed in a separate building next to the livery. Heyes looked to the left and nodded at Miss Jackson. The pretty woman waved in return and continued sweeping the porch of the adjacent schoolhouse.

"We'll need another teacher this fall," sighed Heyes shaking his head as he turned towards the right. Harry hadn't waited and was already at the porch of the boarding house. "That makes five now."

Miss Jackson served notice two weeks ago. The young teacher planned to marry in the summer. Each of her predecessors had left after one year also, most for similar reasons. Only Miss Clementine Hale left Thunder Ridge for a different reason. Heyes sighed again. Having Harry snowed in at Thunder Ridge that winter wasn't nearly as hard as having Clem in the same town all winter long.

-x-x-x-x-x-x

Heyes walked down the corridor to Jenny's room and knocked on her door.

"It's open, come on in," called the older woman's voice.

"Hi Jenny," started Heyes as he walked into the sitting room. "Are you ready for me to take…"

Heyes stopped abruptly. Brown eyes blinked in surprise at the sight before him. White blonde curls bounced on the shoulders of the little girl's blue smock, white leggings disappeared into tiny black boots. Bright blue eyes peered out of the face upturned towards him, a face smeared with red raspberry jam. The buxom older blonde held a washcloth and a jam covered hand. Another jam covered hand waved happily at Heyes.

"Is there a child underneath that jam?" teased Heyes with a chuckle. A broad grin spread across his face, dimpling his cheeks. "Who is it? I really can't tell."

"Grab her other hand," ordered Jenny. "Quickly!"

The little girl squealed indignantly as Jenny began to scrub. Heyes held the four year old's softly dimpled wrist, keeping jam covered fingers away from blonde curls.

"Little Neville Henderson decided to share jam and biscuits," explained Jenny as she continued scrubbing. "I'm not sure if she actually ate any of it or just decided to wear it."

"I'm sure she won't starve before I get her home for dinner," chuckled Heyes.

Four years ago, the little girl arrived nearly a month earlier than expected. No one wanted a repeat of that dangerous situation, and Doctor Beauregard insisted Matt get more rest during her second pregnancy. Kid brought his daughter down to visit with Jenny and play with the neighboring children most afternoons so Matt could nap. Heyes brought the child back to the cabin when he came up to dinner.

"I must be getting old. It's hard keeping up with her," laughed Jenny as she released one clean hand and reached for the jam covered hand in Heyes' keeping. "I don't see how Matt and Thaddeus manage."

"Don't say that, you're not getting old," objected Heyes. "She's just fast."

"Like her Papa," agreed Jenny with a soft smile.

"Grammy," called a little voice.

At sixty-seven, Jenny's face was creased with laugh lines. Her hair stayed blonde due to the ministrations of some unknown arcane art and she still kept up with current fashion trends. Jenny wore a green dress with a fitted bodice and a hip hugging tulip skirt, which flared wide as it touched the floor. Looking at the little girl before her, Jenny's blue eyes glowed with happiness as she finished scrubbing the child's hand.

"Yes darlin'," agreed Jenny. "Hugs and kisses."

Heyes glanced across the room as the pair made their goodbyes. Two framed photographs stood atop Jenny's bureau. The picture of Billy Black at about age fourteen looked a lot like Jenny, and even more like Kid. It was easy to see why people believed Jenny when she claimed to be his partner's mother. The other photograph, showed Kid as a young man, with his cousin and an old family friend. Of course Jenny always identified Clem as Thaddeus Jones' cousin and the brown haired man as Joshua Smith, her son's long-time friend and partner.

"Josh'a," cajoled the tiny blonde. She raised her tiny arms up high. "Ride, please."

"Ready your highness," smiled Heyes. He scooped up the little girl and settled her upon his shoulders. "Now hold on tight!"

-x-x-x-x-x-x

The cabin was empty. A scrawled note on the table, _picnic supper in the glade, it's too hot inside, _left Heyes nodding in agreement.

"Do you want to go on a picnic?" asked Heyes.

The child beamed happily. Heyes glanced towards the new door at the rear of the room. Kid and Matt had decided their growing family needed more space and the rarity of an indoor water closet. Kid was meticulous in the design of the cabin's leach fields and septic system based on plans from an easterner, Brooklyn civil engineer Julius W. Adams. Cast iron pipes were utilized for sewage removal and venting. Although there had been lots of help framing out the outer walls and roofing the new addition, Kid closed up his shop early to spend some time on the last of the finish work every day before dinner.

"How much longer until your new room is ready?" asked Heyes.

"Papa said soon," replied the tiny blonde.

Heyes checked the envelopes sprawled across the table. A long white envelope from Red Rock, Texas addressed to Thaddeus Jones. The familiar lavender colored envelope post marked Clarendon, Texas addressed to Matt was obviously from Eula Mae. An ivory colored envelope, scented with vanilla extract, addressed to Mr. and Mrs. Thaddeus Jones from Denver. The only thing addressed to Joshua Smith was a sale flyer from a prominent Cheyenne book store.

"Josh'a," reminded the little girl tugging on his black pants, "picnic."

-x-x-x-x-x-x

"Giddyap!"

Heyes trotted along the woodland path towards the forest glade with a tiny blonde rider on his shoulders. Slender hands clasped pudgy little ankles securely over his chest. Giggles and squeals of delight sounded as he reached the aspens and turned towards the grassy open space where Heyes had last heard his cousin use his full name. Jedidiah Riordan Curry promised the tall blonde woman now seated on the picnic blanket to love and to cherish till death us do part, but Thaddeus Jones signed the marriage license.

"Whoa!" ordered the young rider as Heyes approached the picnic blanket. Tiny hands grasped great clumps of dark brown hair and reined in. "Whoa!"

"Ow!" exclaimed Heyes.

"Eliza Hope Jones let go of Joshua's hair!" admonished Matt. The pregnant blonde tried unsuccessfully to sound stern as she added, "Don't hurt him."

"You're not hurting me Princess," chuckled Heyes as he untangled tiny fingers from his hair. "You just startled me."

Gently, the slender man knelt on one knee and let Eliza slide down his back. The child stepped away from Heyes and settled on the old red blanket between her mother and the large wicker hamper. The four year old looked eagerly at the basket.

"Is it time to eat now?" asked little Eliza, her big blue eyes upturned hopefully to her mother. "I'm hungry!"

"We'll wait for your Papa to get here," answered Matt with a smirk. She placed her hand on her rounded abdomen and looked in the direction of the spring. "Thaddeus should be back with the water by now."

Matt started to rise, but Heyes held his hand up. The faint sound of running water carried across the glade, along with the harsh cawing of a crow.

"Wait here Matt, I'll get Thaddeus," offered Heyes as he stood up. "It shouldn't take but a few minutes."

A smile spread across Matt's face. She brushed back a strand of wavy blonde hair from her face and nodded gratefully. Little Eliza started to clamber up, intent on following Heyes, but Matt placed a hand on the child's shoulder to still her. The tall woman pulled a loop of string from her pocket.

"Let's play cat's cradle while Joshua gets Papa," suggested Matt.

The slender man left Matt and Eliza playing string games in the sunny glade as he sauntered towards the shadowed trail leading into the woods. It wasn't long before Heyes saw his partner.

"Thaddeus," called Heyes.

"Sssh Heyes," warned Kid in a low voice. The blond man didn't turn to look at Heyes, instead Kid kept staring toward the spring. "Don't come any closer."

Heyes froze. His partner hadn't called him Heyes in nearly five years. Even more worrisome was the tone Kid used. It had been even longer since Heyes had heard the subtle shift in his partner's voice that told him Kid recognized a threat. That tone was usually followed by bullets. And Kid already had his pistol drawn. Heyes crouched low and started to move closer.

"What is it Kid," hissed Heyes.

"Stay back I said," whispered Kid.

Brown eyes widened as Heyes saw what Kid was watching.

"What's a bear doing here?" demanded Heyes in a low voice.

"Sssh, keep your voice down," breathed Kid.

"There haven't been any major predators in Thunder Ridge since we took down that cougar two years ago," reminded Heyes.

"Heyes, I need you to do something for me," continued Kid as if he hadn't spoken. "Just back on out of here, real slow and quiet like. Get Matt and Eliza…"

"Are you crazy!" hissed Heyes. "You ain't gonna take on a grizzly bear with a six-shooter!"

"No," agreed Kid. "I really hope it don't come to that."

Blue eyes never wavered from the sow grizzly. The huge creature appeared intent on tearing apart the old stump near the base of the spring. Heyes could see a small cub snuffling at the stump, licking its paws, slurping down whatever bugs were being turned up. A second cub squirmed around on its back in the grass.

"Matt can't run in her condition," reminded Kid, "and Eliza's so small…"

"You're asking me to leave you here alone with that thing," objected Heyes. Just as Kid always had his back, Heyes would never willingly leave his partner to face danger alone. "No…"

"I'm asking you to get my wife and daughter out of danger," interrupted Kid, "while I keep an eye on these critters…"

"You come too," urged Heyes. "We both back out of here, get Matt and Eliza…"

"Can't take that risk," objected Kid. "If the bears start moving towards homes, someone needs to discourage them."

"Then you go," hissed Heyes, "I'll…"

"Heyes, I'm in charge of security. Remember?" growled the muscular blond. "And we both know I'm a better shot."

How many times in the past had Kid physically put himself between Heyes and danger? Then, just as now, his partner risked himself to protect those he loved.

"I'm really hoping those critters turn around and go back where they came from, soon," whispered Kid, "but if the grizzly mama bear starts moving this direction..."

"You're gonna start shooting," stated Heyes as he started backing away. "I'll be back…"

"Bring Wheat and the boys," advised Kid, "and all the rifles."

-x-x-x-x-x-x

"He's what?" demanded Matt.

"Watching a family of bears, but like I told you, we've got a plan," repeated Heyes. He extended his hand towards the pregnant blonde. "Come on now, I've got to get you and Eliza back to the cabin before I can..."

"That's the worst plan I ever heard," interrupted Matt. The tall blonde woman stood up. Reaching into her handbag, she pulled out an old muzzled loaded pistol, then called for her daughter. "Eliza."

"What are you doing with that old gun?" asked Heyes.

"Protection," reminded Matt. "You and Thaddeus wear guns when you go out, I carry one too."

The little blonde ran towards them, one hand clenched around the stems of some small white flowers. Protection, it was the same answer Matt had given Heyes so long ago when he first saw her carrying a pistol. The woman reached down to take her daughter's small hand.

"Joshua, go get the men and all those rifles," ordered Matt. "I'll get Eliza back home safely."

"Right," agreed Heyes.

Matt never had been a damsel in distress kind of woman. Heyes might have known she would be ready to defend her family too.

"And Joshua," added Matt, "be sure you bring my husband back home in one piece."

"Absolutely," promised Heyes.

"And don't forget the picnic basket."

-x-x-x-x-x-x

"Haven't heard that much noise since last Fourth of July," commented Matt quite sometime later when the partners returned to the cabin.

"It took a lot to scare off the bears," responded Kid.

"Yeah," added Heyes, "you should have seen the mama bear and her two cubs running. They went over the ridge headed north. I don't think we'll see them back here anytime soon."

"Sure hope you're right," sighed Kid.

"Papa, you're all muddy," exclaimed Eliza.

Kid eased into the nearest chair, resting his mud stained forearms against the edge of the table. The muddy man began to unbutton his cuffs as Matt moved to the sink. She poured some water over a cloth, then returned. After Kid removed his muddy shirt, Matt began to gently wipe his face.

"How did you get so much mud all over you?" asked the tall blonde.

A blue eyed glare from his partner let Heyes know that he wasn't to worry Matt with the story of a near miss. When Heyes returned to the spring with Wheat, Kyle, Lobo and Preacher, shooting started. Kid stood between the men and bears. Kyle always had been better with dynamite than a gun. The first wild shot plunked into a tree near Kid. The muscular blond dove for cover before the second shot, and Heyes took the rifle from the explosive expert before a third shot could be fired.

"No one wants a wounded bear on their hands. Everybody was shooting to scare the bears off," explained Kid. "When the bears started running, I moved closer to the spring and slipped in the mud."

Matt raised her eyebrow in disbelief, but with a glance at the child sitting opposite Kid, she didn't press any further.

"I wish I had seen the bears," piped Eliza's little voice. "I would have liked to have petted them…"

"No, stay away from them," objected Heyes. "Bears are scary, and you especially don't ever want to get between a mama bear and her cubs."

Matt frowned at Heyes, but decided to distract her now pouting daughter. The tall woman moved the vase with Eliza's flowers, woodland-star recognized Heyes, to the mantle and reached for the picnic basket.

"Is anyone hungry?" asked Matt.

"Yes!" replied both father and daughter.

-x-x-x-x-x-x

After dinner, letters were opened and read.

"Uncle Mac writes that Cesar handles a pony as if he were born in the saddle. Mary Moira is learning, and little Owen is in a hurry to start, but Eileen wants him wait until his next birthday," read Kid. The blond man's lips curled up in a smile. "And Henry got through the winter without even a cold."

Heyes smiled too. Henry and his family left Cheyenne last year after Henry suffered a near fatal bout with pneumonia. The Curry family now resided in Red Rock. Aunt Katie still wrote Heyes regularly, and Thaddeus Jones received family mail from Uncle Mac. Kid laid his letter on the table and moved to pick up the sleeping child nestled against her mother's shoulder.

"I'll put Eliza in the trundle," whispered Kid.

Matt picked up the lavender colored envelope and slid it open while waiting for Kid to return. She blanched as she read the papers in her hand.

"What does Eula Mae have to say?" asked Heyes as Kid sat down.

"Jake Tattersall escaped from the prison," replied Matt.

Kid extended his hand and clasped Matt's shaking hand as she laid the letter down. Matt's former husband was violent, a murderer several times over. The man had escaped from jail once before, shooting Matt's father, Sheriff Anselm Meyer, to death before her eyes. The partners had been instrumental in Tattersall's subsequent capture, but it was Matt's testimony that put him behind bars.

"Jake came to Clarendon looking for me," continued Matt. "He broke into Eula Mae's home and held a gun on her, Claude and the children. If Uncle Eustace hadn't stopped by for supper…"

"Are they alright?" asked Kid.

Heyes held his breath. Eula Mae, Claude, Lucinda, little Claudia, baby William and Eula Mae's father, Sheriff Coltrane, were all old friends.

"Yes, everyone's fine, but Jake escaped," replied Matt. The trembling lips attempted a smile. "It's not often anyone gets past Uncle Eustace."

The ivory colored envelope from Denver remained unopened on the table in front of Matt. Heyes wondered what Clem would have to say if she knew of Tattersall's escape. Four years since Clem had left Thunder Ridge, and Heyes still found himself wanting to hear her opinion, to hear her voice.

"If you don't mind," said Matt in a soft voice, "I'd like to lie down now. Perhaps we can read Clem's letter tomorrow."

"Right," agreed Heyes as he pushed back his chair, "it's getting late and I should get back down to the boarding house."

-x-x-x-x-x-x

_That night, Heyes' dreams were a confused jumble. Growling bears and screaming bullets disappeared leaving only dreams of a beautiful, hazel eyed brunette. _

_Heyes first noticed Miss Clementine Hale when the fourteen year old girl joined the same class as his younger cousin. The two were friends. And somehow the young woman was able to get Curry to memorize his lines for the school play._

"_Why do you like her?" the seventeen year old asked._

"_Clem takes the time to talk to me, and she listens too. She explains all those weird words that fella Shakespeare uses," responded his blond thirteen year old cousin. Curry picked up a small stone and sent it skipping across the pond. "She's the only person I know that's as smart as you."_

"_Nah," responded Heyes with a chuckle, "you're the only person I know that's as smart as me."_

"_You haven't met Clem yet," laughed Curry. "You'll like her too."_

_The next time Heyes noticed Miss Clementine Hale, she won a baking competition for the Fourth of July celebration. Her carrot cake tasted just like his mother's. _

_It wasn't until his partner insisted on riding miles out of the way to go see an old friend that Heyes realized Miss Clementine Hale might be a permanent fixture in their lives. The skinny little flat chested girl Heyes remembered was now a curvaceous woman, and a darn good kisser. _

_And she was devious. Winston Fletcher never stood a chance, not that he deserved one._

_It wasn't until much later that Heyes learned his partner once proposed to her. By then, Heyes himself had also proposed. Clem turned them both down._

_With the exception of the last spring Heyes spent at Valparaiso Home for Wayward Boys, he hadn't spent more than thirty days consecutive time in the company of Miss Clementine Hale until the school year of 1888-1889 in Thunder Ridge. Setting him up to play music at the Christmas dinner was only one of the infuriating things she managed to accomplish that winter, Clem's Christmas gift to Jenny was another._

"_You promised no one would see that photograph!" exclaimed Heyes. "Why would you give it to Jenny?"_

"_It helps your cover story," answered Clem. The tiny woman crossed her arms in front of her chest and tilted her head to scrutinize him. Clem reminded, "A mother would have pictures of both her children, not just one."_

"_Maybe, maybe not… not if her home was burned," objected Heyes. Then he asked, "Do you still have the other photograph?"_

"_You're not getting it," smirked Clem. _

"_I didn't ask for it," responded Heyes._

"_You were going to," replied Clem with an impudent grin. _

"_Wrong," objected Heyes. "Quit putting words in my mouth..."_

"_Whatever you say Joshua," interrupted Clem with a sing-song voice and a self-satisfied smile that indicated she didn't believe him for a minute._

_As his partner wintered in the cabin with Matt, Heyes found himself spending long winter afternoons in the library with Clem. The tiny brunette was the one person Heyes counted on, trusted actually, almost as much as he did Kid. And she knew him almost as well as his partner did. Unlike Kid though, Clem wasn't going to put up with his moodiness. It was the first week of the New Year when she demanded an explanation._

_"What are you so grumpy about?" demanded Clem. "You've been as prickly as a cactus ever since Christmas!"_

_"Nothing's wrong, I'm not grumpy," scowled Heyes._

_"Pfft," huffed Clem. The tiny woman crossed her arms and stared at Heyes. He squirmed uncomfortably when she added, "Tell me something I'll believe this time."_

_"We were going to go to Medicine Bow," grumbled Heyes with a small shrug, "but now, Kid won't be able to go to because Matt."_

_"Because of Matt and the baby you mean," stated Clem. She uncrossed her arms and resumed stacking books upon the shelves. "Sometimes it seems as if you get along with Matt alright, then other times it seems as if you don't like her at all."_

_Heyes shrugged. _

_"It's just… everything has changed," muttered Heyes. _

_"Changed for the better, I'd say," agreed Clem with a perky smile. "Kid's happy. Matt is smart and tough and loves Kid enough to put up with you and me. She even play's a decent game of poker."_

_Heyes flipped through the pages of the book in his hands, and didn't respond._

_"What more do you want?" asked Clem. She narrowed her eyes and looked perplexed. __"__If I didn't know you better, I'd think you were jealous."_

_Now Heyes spluttered in disbelief. _

_"No," denied Heyes. "That's ridiculous! This isn't about Matt."  
><em>

_"Then what's really bothering you?" _asked Clem.

_ The slender dark haired man turned away and shelved the book. Heyes mumbled something._

_"What did you say?" demanded Clem._

_"The last time I was around a baby," repeated Heyes, "it was Kid."_

_Clem stared at Heyes for a moment before bursting out in laughter._

_"It's not funny," protested Heyes. _

_Heyes' discomfort must have shown. Clem walked over to where he stood and wrapped her arms around him in a warm embrace. _

_"Don't worry, you've got the easy part. Kid and Matt will do most of the feeding and changing, a__ll you have to do is cuddle and hand the kid back to them when you're done," assured Clem. "You'll be fine."_

_Heyes looked out the library window. Afternoon sunlight glinted brightly on the snow covered slopes surrounding the homes of Thunder Ridge. Gray chimney smoke curled upwards from the cabin on the slope above the town. _

_"And there isn't a lullaby in any of these books," fretted Heyes. _

_"We'll find a lullaby," encouraged Clem, "or we'll make up one of our own."_

_The two old friends continued talking and teasing, squabbling and prodding each other through the long winter months. The guitar and an old backgammon board both were put to good use, and occasionally they filled in at the ongoing whist game. In between Clem's teaching and Heyes' work at the library, they talked about anything and everything. _

_"No," answered Clem o__ne evening in late April. "And quit asking!"_

_Then she turned abruptly and s__talked out of his room._

"_Clem!" _

_Heyes awakened. A look around the shadowed room left him feeling hollow inside. Clem hadn't spoken to him in anything but a politely distant professional way since that evening. She resigned her teaching position shortly after Eliza's arrival, stating a need to return to Denver. Kid didn't understand. His partner's hurt was evident as Kid asked Heyes, why is she leaving?_

_"You know Clem," was Heyes' only reply. _

_Kid didn't make it to Medicine Bow that spring, but the Pennsylvania cousins came to Thunder Ridge. __For the past three summers, Heyes, Kid and Matt visited family in Cheyenne. The Jones family continued south to see Clem in Denver, but she hadn't been back to Thunder Ridge despite Kid's repeated attempts to convince her to return. Sometimes, Matt looked at Heyes as if she knew something, and Heyes wondered what, if anything, Clem had told his partner's wife._

"_Clem," whispered Heyes._

-x-x-x-x-x-x

"No you can't do this to me!" insisted Heyes four weeks later.

"You? I'm not doing anything to you!" exclaimed Matt. She bent double and groaned. "I just need you to…"

Heyes plastered a smile on his face, trying to hide his worry as he turned to face the towering blonde.

"Now Matt," said the persuasive man in his best let's be reasonable tone of voice, "you know I should at least go get Doc Beauregard."

The pretty blonde clenched her teeth and leaned forward with another small groan. A tendril of wavy blonde hair caressed her chin. Heyes noticed beads of sweat started to form on her forehead.

"There's not enough time," insisted Matt. "You promised."

Heyes had agreed to stay with Matt and little Eliza while his partner journeyed to Porterville. In his mind, that meant play with Eliza, and maybe run errands should Matt need something. Not this. Matt wasn't supposed to go into labor, certainly not today. Kid left before daybreak and should be back well before nightfall.

"You should lie down first," suggested Heyes. "Then I'll go…"

"No, stay with me," demanded the blue eyed woman. "Hannibal Aloysius Heyes, you promised!"

Dark brown eyes blinked in surprise. Matt hadn't used his real name since coming to Thunder Ridge.

"Matt, be reasonable," pleaded Heyes once more.

At her glare, the former outlaw gulped. Heyes took Matt by the elbow and helped her towards the bed closest to the fireplace.

"You don't really think I'm going to deliver a baby, do you?" asked Heyes.

It was the little things, thought Heyes, little things that you didn't really think about, a chance word said or a promise made, that always turned out to be the really big, important things in a person's life. He remembered a promise made to another woman nearly forty years ago.

-x-x-x-x-x-x

_The front door slammed as Han's older cousin ran outside. Han moved to the bedroom door. He could still watch Cleo napping in her basket, and now he could see his mother and Aunt Mary. Everyone else was at the corn field. Aunt Mary looked so pale. The sound of his mother's worried voice penetrated Han's mind over the noise of the squalling infant._

"_Han, sit here," ordered Moira, she pointed to the floor next to Aunt Mary's bed. "I need you to help me until Bridget gets back with your uncle."_

_Obediently, the boy sat. His mother thrust the squalling bundle towards him._

"_Hold your cousin," ordered Moira, "just like I taught you how to hold Cleo."_

"_Take good care of Jedidiah for me Han," whispered Aunt Mary. "Promise?"_

"_Yes Aunt Mary," promised Han. _

-x-x-x-x-x-x

"I think you're gonna deliver this baby very soon," panted Matt.

Heyes plumped the feather pillow as Matt leaned back.

"Mama," called a small frightened voice, "are you alright?"

Eliza, awakened from a late afternoon nap by their talk, now stood by the bedroom door, staring at her mother in concern.

"I'm fine Eliza," assured Matt, "Joshua's gonna help me…"

"I really should get Doc Beauregard," repeated Heyes. "You're my partners wife, I shouldn't…"

"No time," insisted Matt.

Heyes turned to Eliza in alarm. The four year old wasn't usually allowed out on the mountain path by herself, but this wasn't a normal situation.

"Eliza, go straight down the path. Get Grammy and Doc Beauregard," directed Heyes. "Tell them that your Mama is having the baby, now!"

As the child hurried outside, Matt gave another groan.

"This isn't how I planned on spending the day," griped Heyes trying to distract himself from his worry.

"You've only got yourself to blame," responded Matt. "If you hadn't chased Clem away, she'd be here not you."

"I didn't chase Clem away, I asked her to marry me," snapped Heyes. "She ran."

-x-x-x-x-x-x

"There's a blanket in the trunk," whispered Matt. Sweaty blonde tendrils of hair clung to her forehead. "Now that she's clean, the baby needs to be wrapped up."

The blonde woman was exhausted, but smiling as she held the squirming red faced infant. Heyes threw the last of the bloody wash clothes into the sink. Then he moved to the trunk. Matt's old revolver rested on the wall shelf above. Lifting the lid, Heyes reached for the soft white knitted blanket nestled inside. Voices sounded along with running footsteps coming up the path.

"It sounds like Doc Beauregard is finally showing up," observed Heyes as he wrapped the infant. "Better late than never."

Doc Beauregard bustled in just then, followed by Jenny holding Eliza, and Kid. Heyes grinned in relief. The dark haired man thrust the tiny bundle towards Kid.

"Partner, you've got another daughter," blurted out Heyes.

Kid carefully adjusted the newborn in his arms. Blue eyes lit up with delight. Kid stroked a big finger down the side of the infants face. A toothless mouth turned and tried to latch on to the finger. The muscular blond beamed at the tiny baby.

"Matt," called Kid, "whenever you're ready, I think Hannah Grace is hungry."

"Of course she is," chuckled Matt.

Heyes picked up little Eliza so she could see her new sister, and tried not to let on how pleased he was about the baby's name. Heyes almost missed Matt's next words.

"Joshua will you telegraph Clem?" asked Matt. "Remind her that she promised to come visit this summer after the baby was born."

-x-x-x-x-x-x


	8. Till Death Us Do Part

Disclaimer: Alias Smith and Jones does not belong to me. This is fan fiction, not for profit.

Any references to people, places, businesses, etc. are entirely fictitious.

A/N – story presumes the details on the wanted posters are not entirely accurate. Story exists in the same story verse as Kid Plans, South By Southeast, and Trouble In Texas but should also stand alone.

Till Death Us Do Part

-x-x-x-x-x-x

"Careful with that cage," warned Kid. "Those cubs are expected at the Philadelphia Zoo safe and sound."

The railroad freight agent shoved the wheeled dolly laden with a metal cage across the loading platform. The larger of the two cubs snarled angrily, teeth bared, snout snuffling between the heavy metal bars. The smaller one sat on its haunches and stared silently, brown eyes mournful.

"Right," grunted the burly man. "Don't worry, we'll get 'em there in good condition."

"Good condition," questioned Heyes, "that means alive and well, right?"

Contrary to Heyes' prediction, the hungry mother bear and her cubs had returned to Thunder Ridge, several times as spring turned into summer. Kid, Heyes, Wheat, Kyle, Preacher and Lobo repeatedly chased the animals northwards, but the last time the creatures returned, the bears found Kyle's still. Kyle was lucky. The aging former outlaw lost his new spectacles. The wire rimmed eye pieces Doc Beauregard provided after Kyle got his eyesight examined fell off as the small man scrambled up a prickly evergreen. The cubs snuffled at the spectacles below. The mother bear, and Ermaline the still, didn't fare as well.

"Joshua," sighed Kid as he watched the bear cubs being loaded onto the train, "it don't seem right sending them poor animals to be locked up for the rest of their lives."

"Think of it as a good deed Thaddeus," suggested Heyes. "The cubs would starve to death without their mother to protect them. They'll get fed and cared for in the zoo."

"Good deed, huh?" asked Kid raising one eyebrow. The two men turned to leave the Porterville train station. Kid added, "Thought you didn't like good deeds. I'm not so sure I like this one. A zoo sounds an awful lot like an orphanage, or a jail, to me."

-x-x-x-x-x-x

"Welcome back Harry," greeted Heyes a few weeks later. The slender dark haired man glanced up briefly from the article in the _Library Journal_ he was reading as his old friend entered the library. "Any luck finding Bannerman?"

"Not a sign of Bannerman," replied the thin mustached man. Harry withdrew a slim volume from his vest pocket. "But the trip wasn't a total loss."

"Tess of the d'Urbervilles," exclaimed Heyes. "How on earth?"

"Professional secrets," preened Harry. Then he leaned closer, "Miss Clearson from Four Corners loaned the book to her Aunt Myrna. Mrs. Stahl said to give you her regards"

"Mrs. Stahl?" asked Heyes.

"Yes," nodded Harry. With an arch look, Harry relayed a message, "Mrs. Stahl asked when you would be coming for your palm reading?"

"Who is Mrs. Stahl?" demanded Heyes in confusion. "And how does she know me?"

"For some reason, she remembers you fondly from your last visit to Omaha," replied Harry shaking his head. "Lovely lady, but she did say you might remember her better by her maiden name, Myrna McGillicutty."

Myrna? McGillicutty? Last visit to Omaha? Heyes started to shake his head, but then a faint memory stirred. A curvaceous brunette adorned in purple gauze, feathers, and maybe even a few sequins. She had read Kid's palm, but the partners had to leave abruptly.

"Mystical Myrna?" asked Heyes. A dimpled grin lit up his face. "Is she still telling fortunes?"

"She married a fortune," corrected Harry. "Now she spends most of her time reading the paper. That's how I learned about the excitement here at Thunder Ridge."

"What excitement?" questioned Heyes.

"Reporter Wilkins' article was picked up by the _Omaha Bee_," responded Harry. "Your partner made the paper."

The detective unfolded the newspaper he was carrying and thumped it upon Heyes' desk. The headline on page two read _Western Grizzlies Go East. _The human interest article credited long time Thunder Ridge resident Thaddeus Jones with saving the orphaned cubs and praised the railroad for providing the animals with free transportation to the Philadelphia Zoo.

"Again? Oh no," groaned Heyes. "How far has this article gone?"

Wilkin's last article to mention Thaddeus Jones had caused a lot of trouble. Heyes scanned the article and then stared at the accompanying photograph. The two bear cubs were accompanied by the image of two unidentified men in the background. Heyes didn't remember seeing a photographer the day the cubs were delivered to the train station. Maybe no one would recognize the side view of Kyle wearing his new spectacles. The photograph of Wheat worried Heyes. The former outlaw turned part time deputy was directly facing the camera when the photograph was taken.

"Mrs. Stahl said the Philadelphia Inquirer picked up Reporter Wilkin's article too," smiled Harry. "The pictures of those bears are probably all across the country by now."

"Wider spread than the wanted posters ever were," muttered Heyes.

The slender man ran both hands through his dark hair in exasperation. Harry cleared his throat. Dark brown eyes looked up from the paper to see Harry waiting expectantly.

"Oh, yes, sorry Harry," responded Heyes as he reached for the petty cash box and withdrew two dollars. Heyes extended the money towards Harry. "Thank you for locating the book."

"I had travel expenses," sniffed Harry.

"You went to Omaha on your own!" exclaimed Heyes. "You were looking for Bannerman!"

"Even with my bursitis," sighed Harry with a long-suffering roll of the shoulders to demonstrate the extra effort put forth. "I carried that heavy book all the way from Omaha."

"Alright, alright!" grumbled Heyes. He reached into the money box and withdrew a half dollar. "Here is a little extra to put towards liniment."

-x-x-x-x-x-x

"Dinner sure smells good tonight," complimented Heyes later that same evening.

The slender man settled Eliza into her seat at the gleaming oak table and then sat in his customary place facing the front door. Kid lifted the heavy pan from the oven and placed the roast hen upon the platter Matt held ready. Kid carried the platter to the table and set it down, while Matt followed with a yellow bowl.

"I hear the school board still hasn't found a teacher for this coming year," commented Matt.

The tall blonde woman spooned out mashed potatoes onto Eliza's plate and then passed the bowl to Heyes before sitting in the chair closest to the bedroom door. The slender man scooped out some mashed potatoes and then turned to pass the bowl to his partner. He met Kid's blue eyed gaze while exchanging the bowl for a basket of biscuits.

"It's August already. We need to hire a steady teacher," reminded Kid.

"One who will stay a while," added Matt with a smiling glance at the four year old beside her. "It won't be long before Eliza starts school."

"This year?" asked the bright eyed child. "With Neville and all the other children?"

"Maybe next year," replied her mother. Matt reached out and patted the child's hand. "There is no rush."

"We can't take just anybody as a teacher though," blurted out Heyes. "I vetoed the last applicant when I read his name."

Kid, Matt and Eliza turned to look at Heyes in surprise.

"Why would you veto someone before you even met the person?" demanded Matt. "Arabella told me that Thunder Ridge doesn't get that many applicants for the position since we are so isolated out here."

"Met Peterson before," muttered Heyes.

"Mr. Peterson, from Valparaiso?"

Kid's breath sucked in. The tightening of Kid's jaw told Heyes his partner hadn't forgotten the instructor from their first year at the Home for Waywards. Peterson's favorite form of casual discipline employed a ruler across tiny hands. For some infractions, the mean man used a dunce's cap, thinking to shame his young charges. For other perceived infractions, the ill-tempered man used a cane. Worst of all was the isolation room. Kid had been on the receiving end of all Peterson's punishments at one time or another. Heyes nodded.

"We don't need that kind of teacher," scowled Kid. The muscular man passed the platter of chicken. "Ain't no parent in this town gonna put up with him."

Heyes took a piece of chicken and then traded the platter for a bowl of fresh green beans. Matt pursed her lips while chopping up some chicken for Eliza.

"Clem's last letter said she would be arriving on Thursday's stage," reminded Matt.

Thunder Ridge looked like it was never going to have a telegraph. Heyes had gone to nearby Four Corners to let Clem know when little Hannah had been born. Thunder Ridge was on a waiting list to get some new-fangled telephone wires strung up, but for now mail and newspapers were delivered on the twice weekly stage.

"Yeah, I know," nodded Heyes in agreement. "She's been planning to come see Hannah Grace for over two months now."

The diminutive brunette had delayed her visit until the latter part of August. While stating she wanted to wait to travel to Thunder Ridge for Kid's birthday, Heyes thought she might have an ulterior motive. Clem wasn't staying at Mrs. Henderson's busy boarding house, but with the Jones' family. Their new rooms were finally complete and at two months of age, little Hannah Grace was now sleeping through the night. Sleeping through dinner was another story. A hungry wail sounded from the bedroom.

"Well," prodded Matt, as she pushed back her chair and went to retrieve the baby, "what about Clem?"

"What about Clem?" asked Heyes

"She's a teacher," called Matt from the bedroom, "and a good one too!"

"You meet the stage and bring Clem up for dinner," stated Kid. "And if you're lucky you can talk Clem into coming back to Thunder Ridge to teach school."

"Now Thaddeus," reminded Heyes, "Clem probably already has a position lined up…"

"Joshua," interrupted Kid, "use that silver tongue of yours for something important. Get Clem to stay."

-x-x-x-x-x-x

Kid stopped by the library the next afternoon. The blond man entered the spacious book lined front room and took off his brown hat. Heyes looked up from the newspaper before him when he heard his partner's voice.

"Is Joshua here?"

"Yes sir, Mr. Jones," directed young Walter, "Mr. Smith is in his office."

Heyes pushed the Porterville Press' cryptogram he was deciphering to one side and rose to stand as Kid entered the library's rearmost room.

"Thaddeus," greeted Heyes. A dimpled grin lit up his face. "Looking for another cookbook or one of those Sherlock Holmes mysteries?"

"Not now," responded Kid shaking his head. "I'm on my way to pick up Eliza, but wanted to speak to you first. In private."

Since finishing the work on the water closet and the new bedroom, the blond man had resumed taking his daughter home with him after her daily visit with Jenny, leaving Heyes to join the family for dinner after he locked up the library.

"In private? That sounds serious," asked Heyes. The slender man pushed the office door shut behind Kid and turned to his partner. "What this about?"

"Clem," answered Kid.

"Now Thaddeus…," began Heyes.

"I'm sorry about what I said last night," interrupted Kid. The blue eyes looked frustrated and Kid ran a hand back through his blond curls. "Mattie told me…"

Kid's voice trailed off. Heyes wondered for a moment how much Matt knew, how much she would have told Kid, but then Kid spoke again.

"I can't believe Clem turned you down!" exclaimed Kid in exasperation.

"Twice now," smirked Heyes trying not to show his hurt. "You'd think I would have learned after the first time."

"Proposing to get those photographs probably doesn't count," objected Kid. The blue eyes narrowed. "You didn't ask about the photographs again? Did you?"

"No!" huffed Heyes indignantly. Heyes stalked across the room towards the window. "And the first proposal wasn't about the photographs either! You and Clem both just leap to…"

"You weren't just trying to get the photographs? Then why did you propose? What did you want?" interrupted Kid.

Clem. Heyes almost blurted out the truth, but then his ego stepped in. His scheming mind decided a practical reason might sound better. Better to be rejected for being a miserable cynic than just plain rejected. Heyes turned to face his partner and lied.

"You remember how it was then," replied Heyes. "Lawmen and posses, bounty hunters, everyone chasing us."

Kid nodded as he leaned back and sat on Heyes' desk. Crossing his arms over his chest, Kid listened.

"A wife doesn't have to testify against her husband," continued Heyes. "I thought it would be safer for Clem… and safer for us."

"Ain't a good enough reason to get married," snorted Kid in disgust. Arms uncrossed and big hands smacked down hard on the walnut desktop on either side of Kid's hips. "No wonder she…"

"And you know so much about proposing," challenged Heyes. The slender man balled up his fists against his hips and glared at his partner.

"It took me three tries to get it right," countered Kid as he pushed off the desk and turned to face Heyes, "but if you remember, I'm the married man in this room."

"Three times?" asked Heyes in surprise. "You proposed to Matt three times before she said yes?"

"Uh, no," clarified Kid. "I proposed three different times, to three different ladies, before I lucked out and got it right. The first time was to Clem. Remember? I told you, she turned me down too."

"You might have mentioned it once," agreed Heyes. Of course Clem had told so much more.

-x-x-x-x-x-x

_In late April 1889, Heyes and Clem found a special way to celebrate her thirty-fifth birthday. One that didn't require much talking at all._

"_Mmmm," murmured Clem. The brunette licked her lips and sat up straight. "We should have done that ages ago."_

_"Yeah," breathed Heyes. _

_Brown eyes blown wide with contentment, Heyes stretched languidly, then he reached to pull her back towards him, but Clem was already standing, beginning to pin up her long dark hair. The dark haired man surprised himself by asking for something more. _

_"Clem, marry me."_

_A soft throaty chuckle bubbled up from somewhere deep inside of her. Her hazel eyes rested fondly on Heyes._

"_What is it with you Kansas boys?" asked Clem as she reached for her camisole. _

"_What?" asked Heyes._

_"You and Jed both...," Clem's voice trailed off as she realized his surprise._

_Brown eyes opened wide as Heyes considered the significance of Clem's words. Now, Clem tilted her head and stared at him as if she had never seen him before._

"_You knew," challenged Clem as she stepped into her calf-length cotton drawers._

"_I knew the two of you were close, and Kid proposed once," agreed Heyes. But with a gesture towards the rumpled sheets, he asked, "Are you saying…"_

"_Yes," answered Clem. She pulled the drawstring at her waist tight and tied it off. _

_Heyes swallowed. His nostrils flared as he sucked in a deep breath, for once not knowing what to say. Unfortunately, the mouth continued without the brain._

_"You were sixteen!" babbled a flustered Heyes. _

_"We were both sixteen," reminded Clem, "and I was older than Jed."_

_"Kid shouldn't have…," began Heyes._

_"Don't be ridiculous! He didn't do anything that I didn't ask him to! You know he wouldn't!" interrupted Clem. "I knew what I was doing._ _If anything, I seduced him!"_

_At Heyes' dumbfounded look, Clem grabbed her voluminous dress and stepped into it as she continued a rapid fire, nonstop monologue. Heyes caught some of the words... but she never stopped long enough for him to get a word in. Finally she took a deep breath. _

_"I never thought you were a nun!" exclaimed Heyes in exasperation. _

"_Hmmph!" exclaimed Clem. The steaming exhalation ruffled the bangs on her forehead. Pointing to the __rumpled sheets, Clem added, __"And I'm sure I never thought you were a celibate monk!"_

"_Clem, that's not what I meant! Can't we talk…"_

_"No," answered Clem as she stalked out of his room. "And quit asking!"_

-x-x-x-x-x-x

"I don't know what you said wrong, but try asking Clem again," cajoled Kid.

"Clem chose to leave," reminded Heyes with a sharp tone. "What makes you think I can get her to change her mind?"

Blue eyes gazed at Heyes in wonder. Kid shook his head as if he couldn't believe what he was seeing.

"Of all the dad blamed fool things, how can you not know?" exclaimed Kid. "Clem loves you!"

A big hand jammed the floppy brown hat back on the blond head and Kid turned and stomped out of the library leaving Heyes shaking his head.

-x-x-x-x-x-x

Heyes locked up the library a short while later. The nickering sound of a horse caught his attention. Heyes turned in surprise. Most of the residents of Thunder Ridge boarded their horses at Uriah's livery, but this sound came from behind the library.

"What's that," muttered Heyes to himself.

A mahogany gelding was tied off to one of the cottonwoods behind the library. Heyes approached cautiously. He didn't recognize the animal. A flutter on the ground spooked the horse causing it to shy back. Heyes bent down and retrieved a tattered copy of a Texas newspaper. The folded paper showed the same Porterville Press article about the bear cubs that Harry had brought from Omaha, but this paper was different. The name Thaddeus Jones was circled in heavy black ink. Heyes felt a chill up his back.

"Who's looking for Thaddeus?" asked Heyes.

The horse didn't answer. Heyes followed the trail of boot prints. The footsteps lead to up the steep sloop towards Kid and Matt's home. Heyes paused to catch his breath as the trail leveled out. The cabin was within sight and he still hadn't found the person he was trailing.

"No!"

The sound of Kid's voice jolted Heyes into motion. The former outlaw sprinted the last few steps to the window. His brown eyes widened in alarm. Kid stood on the far side of the big front room with his hands raised to either side of his chest. Matt and little Eliza were visible behind Kid. Near the open door, a dark haired man faced Kid with a Schofield revolver aimed at the unarmed man.

"Tattersall," said Kid in a quiet tone, "there ain't nothin' for you here."

"You're wrong Jones," growled Matt's former husband. "I've come here for my darlin' wife, Matilda Tattersall."

Behind Kid, Heyes could see Matt bending down. A low murmur and then the bedroom door opened and closed as little Eliza was unceremoniously shoved into the other room. Heyes pulled his pistol from the holster he still habitually wore and raised the weapon up to the glass.

"Tattersall," continued Kid, his hands still uplifted as he stepped closer to the intruder, "Mattie is not your wife."

"We married till death us do part," reminded the dark haired murderer. "And we ain't dead, that makes her mine."

"People don't own other people," huffed Kid as he stepped forward again, "you might remember we had a really big war not so long ago about that."

"She's mine," hissed Tattersall. He motioned with the pistol. "Step aside boy."

"No," answered Kid, "I really can't do that."

The tall blonde woman stepped sideways, away from the shelter of Kid's body. Matt now cradled her father's old muzzle loaded pistol, retrieved from the shelf above the trunk.

"Mattie!" cried Kid. He turned trying to protect her. "Get back!"

"Jake, you killed my father!" exclaimed Matt.

Matt's face contorted with anger as she raised the old weapon and pulled the trigger. The hammer clicked with an empty metallic twang. Tattersall's maniacal laughter echoed across the room.

"You should get yourself a real gun Matilda," suggested Tattersall with a sneer as he turned his pistol towards the woman.

"No!" shouted multiple voices.

Inside the cabin, Kid grappled with Tattersall. Outside Heyes slammed the barrel of his pistol against the glass and pulled the trigger. Tattersall shot Kid. The tall blond man staggered backwards. Kid's once pale yellow shirt rapidly reddened as Matt caught him. The two collapsed upon the floor. Tattersall stepped closer to the couple.

"Matilda," chided Tattersall, "I'm beginning to get the feeling you're not happy to see me."

Heyes raised his pistol once more and took careful aim. At the same time, Matt raised the old muzzle loaded pistol once more. Three shots sounded. Red bloomed on Matt's upper left shoulder as she sank back against the wall. Tattersall stood for a moment, then swayed and toppled like a fallen tree. Heyes tried to breathe as he hurried into the cabin. A quick glance at Tattersall confirmed Matt's final shot had met its mark. The murderer was dead.

"Kid," whispered Heyes. He hurried inside and knelt beside his partner and Kid's wife. "Matt."

Matt struggled to raise Kid's body up. The heavy weapon now lay on the floor. Blood burbled up out of Kid's chest. More blood streamed from the hole in Matt's shoulder, running down her arm like the tears streaming down her face.

"Thaddeus, you just keep breathin' now," pleaded Matt.

"You were unarmed," fussed Heyes, "what were you thinking? Stepping in front of a lunatic with a loaded gun?"

Heyes pulled out his handkerchief and pressed it against Kid's wound. His partner's chest shuddered.

"Some things are worth dying for," gasped Kid. His hand reached for Heyes. "Remember, our parents taught us that."

"Yeah Kid," agreed Heyes, "but didn't I teach you anything? Some things are worth living for too."

Heyes touched his hand to Kid's jawline. Kid's eyes rolled backwards and for a moment it looked as if the blond man had passed out.

"Jed," called Matt, shaking Kid, using his real name, "You need to keep breathing! Promise me now!"

Dark lashes fluttered as Kid blinked open a pair of pain filled blue eyes

"I'll try my best," promised Kid.

"No going back on your promise to a lady," encouraged Heyes as he tried for a light teasing tone.

The grimace Kid gave in reply might have been meant to be a smile. Eyelashes fluttered once more, then Kid's head lolled backwards as he truly lost consciousness.

"Jed," cried Matt.

Running, thumping booted footsteps pounded up on the porch and then inside the cabin. Wheat, Kyle, Lobo and Preacher entered the cabin, guns in hand. The men stared in shock.

"Wheat," ordered Heyes, "go get Doc Beauregard."

The big mustached man backed out of the cabin, while Kyle continued to stare open mouthed. Preacher knelt by Tattersall for a moment, then closed the murderer's eyelids. Lobo was already beside Heyes.

"Let's get him up on the table," suggested the bushy haired man. "So the doc can tend him…"

"Gently," whispered Matt. Her face was pale and she shivered. "Don't hurt him… I mean, don't hurt him any worse…"

Heyes backed up and settled against the wall beside Matt as Preacher and Lobo lifted Kid. The blonde woman was breathing rapidly. Heyes pulled a heavy cotton napkin down from the table and pressed it against her shoulder. Blood oozed up rapidly between his fingers. Heyes stared into the depths of Matt's blue eyes.

"Matt!?" exclaimed Heyes.

"Tell Jed, I'll be waiting for him," whispered Matt. "Don't either of you be in a hurry to get there."

"Matt!?"

Heyes stared in shock. He had thought Kid's wound was the most severe. Matt's head dropped, chin resting upon her chest. Lobo returned to his side. The older man moved Heyes' hand away from Matt's wound.

"Bleeding an awful lot," sighed Lobo.

Thumping and bumping on the front porch announced the arrival of Wheat and Doc Beauregard.

"Doc was halfway up the ridge when I caught him," crowed Wheat. "Told him he had a coupla patients up here…"

Wheat's voice trailed off as he realized the situation had changed in the few minutes he'd been gone.

"Mr. Wolfe?" asked Doctor Beauregard with a nod towards the tall blonde woman slumped against the wall.

"Mizz Jones is unconscious, gunshot wound to the shoulder, no exit wound, collar bone looks like it's broken," answered Lobo. The bushy haired man gestured to the dining table. "Mr. Jones has a gunshot wound to the chest, no exit wound."

"Your assistance Mr. Wolfe," replied Beauregard. He gestured towards the bed along the front wall. "Let's get Mrs. Jones onto the bed here."

Heyes sat numbly, watching as Beauregard and Lobo moved Matt. Preacher and Wheat started to drag Tattersall's body outside. Kyle still stood as if in shock. The small man's blue eyes were opened wide, the heavy glass in his new spectacles magnifying their size. Kyle gulped.

"How you gonna tell Kid if Mizz Matt dies?" asked Kyle.

Heyes looked away from Matt to his unconscious partner sprawled out on the table. Heyes hoped he would have the opportunity to tell Kid something, preferably not that his wife had died, but he knew that was far from certain. Then Kyle asked another question.

"Where's little Miss Eliza? And baby Hannah?" asked the small man in a plaintive voice.

-x-x-x-x-x-x

Heyes looked towards the bedroom door. There was a bullet hole through the wooden door. Horrified, Heyes replayed the shooting in his mind. There had been at least five shots. Three were accounted for between Kid, Matt and Tattersall. Where had the other bullets gone? Heyes scrambled towards the door.

"Princess," called Heyes softly as he pushed the bedroom door open.

The wood splintered in the door frame beside his head. The sound of Kid's Colt had Lobo, Beauregard and Kyle diving for the floor. Heyes heard Wheat and Preacher's panicked shouts from outside the cabin. The close call left Heyes trembling.

"Eliza," called Heyes again, trying for a soft soothing tone, "what are you doing with your Papa's gun?"

"Mama said don't let the bad man get me or Hannah," explained the frightened child.

"You know you're not supposed to touch your Papa's gun," reminded Heyes as he inched into the room.

The small blonde girl held Kid's heavy Colt with both hands. The barrel wobbled up and down. The gun still pointed too close for comfort. Behind the child, Heyes could see the opened wall cabinet. Heyes had helped Kid mount the storage cabinet high above the expected reach of a child's hand. Neither man had accounted for the cunning of a child. One straight back chair and three boxes put Eliza within reach of the weapon.

"Yeah, but Papa won't be mad," answered Eliza. "Mama said…"

"Your Mama doesn't want you touching Papa's gun either," objected Heyes.

A little jaw clenched. A little nose sniffed. The gun remained pointed at the doorway, pointed at Heyes.

"I'm gonna protect my baby sister," quavered Eliza. "The bad man ain't gonna get me and Hannah."

Heyes took a deep breath. Outside the sound of more worried people arriving could be heard. Heyes could make out Jenny's voice demanding to be let inside. From the sounds of it, Wheat was having a hard time keeping her out.

"Would you put the gun down please?" wheedled Heyes. "I promise, I'm not the bad man."

"Course you're not the bad man Josh'a," answered Eliza. Her voice sounded a little steadier. "Mama says you're a good man mostly, almost as good as Papa."

The child continued to stare at the doorway. The gun wavered. Eliza's hands lowered, the gun pointed to the floor. In two steps Heyes was across the room. Withdrawing the gun from Eliza's hand, he clutched the tiny blonde girl to his chest. Spinning in a slow circle, Heyes looked around Kid and Matt's bedroom. Aside from the one bullet hole in the door, he couldn't see any sign of mayhem. The cradle in the corner was quiet.

"Where's Hannah?" asked Heyes.

"Sleeping," answered Eliza. "She sleeps through anything."

Heyes set Kid's Colt back in the wall cabinet. He carried Eliza over to the cradle. Heyes breathed a long shuddering sigh of relief. Two month old Hannah was snuggled securely in a pale blue blanket. Her little pink lips smacked as if she were dreaming of supper. Outside the strident voice of Jenny and Mrs. Henderson and others could be heard. Heyes carried Eliza to the window, opened it and looked around. Tattersall's body was nowhere to be seen. Heyes motioned to Jenny. The worried older blonde approached in time to hear his explanation to Eliza.

"Eliza," said Heyes, "we're gonna play a game. I want you to climb out the window to Grammy Jenny. You and Hannah are going to spend the night with her."

"But what about Papa and Mama and you?"

"We're gonna stay up here tonight," answered Heyes. With a look at Jenny, Heyes added, "I might stop by to check on you girls before bedtime."

-x-x-x-x-x-x

Thursday afternoon, the girls were still staying with Jenny. Doc and Lobo remained up in the cabin tending Kid and Matt. The patients were weak and feverish. Kyle and Preacher were on guard duty outside the cabin, and Wheat stood beside Heyes waiting for the stage.

"Miss Clementine don't really seem like the kinda woman to faint," groused Wheat. The man shifted from one foot to another impatiently. "You don't need me here."

"Clem fainted once before when she heard Kid had been shot," explained Heyes again. "I just need you to stand behind her while I'm talking to her and catch her if she… if she…"

Heyes made a fluttery motion with his hands. He was too tired to talk anymore and explaining this simple request to Wheat took more energy than he could spare right now. He'd been up most of the night trying to do what he could for Kid and Matt. He counted it a personal success that he'd been able to get water down Kid's throat.

"She ain't gonna faint," snorted Wheat.

The stage pulled up in front of Uriah's livery stable. Doors spilled open spewing out a variety of weary travelers. A short pudgy man stepped out first and then turned to help a thin, sharp nosed woman out. The third passenger to depart was a tiny brunette.

"Clem," breathed Heyes.

The slender dark haired man started forward, beckoning Wheat to follow, but Wheat was staring dumbstruck at the last person to exit the stage. A fifty-ish woman with once dark hair now streaked with gray wearing a heavy purple dress with an ornate brocade bodice stepped down to stand beside Clem.

"Martha," whispered Wheat. The burly man gulped.

-x-x-x-x-x-x


	9. An Honest Man

Disclaimer: Alias Smith and Jones does not belong to me. This is fan fiction, not for profit.

Any references to people, places, businesses, etc. are entirely fictitious.

A/N – story presumes the details on the wanted posters are not entirely accurate. Story exists in the same story verse as Kid Plans, South By Southeast, and Trouble In Texas but should also stand alone.

An Honest Man

-x-x-x-x-x-x

"Wheat!" exclaimed Heyes.

The mustached man standing beside Heyes swayed, and for a minute there, Heyes thought the burly former outlaw might faint. The older woman in the purple dress smiled and hurried away from Clem. Clasping Wheat's face between her hands, the woman stood up on tip toe and gave the former outlaw a huge kiss. Wheat's hands flailed for a moment, before finding their way to the woman's side and pulling her into a tight embrace.

"I guess they know each other," sniffed Clem.

Heyes turned his startled gaze away from Wheat and the woman to face Clem. The tiny woman now stood by his side. Clem hadn't changed much in four years. Her starched blue and white travelling clothes showed no signs of the long journey from Denver. A stylish felted hat adorned with a tiny black feather perched at a rakish angle on her head.

"Surprised to see you," added Clem. "I thought Thaddeus was going to meet the stage."

Heyes swallowed. The stage from Porterville loaded right next to the train depot. Uriah had left last night to report Tattersall's attack to Lom, but as Heyes had suspected, the news hadn't reached the paper. And as Lom had returned with Uriah to Thunder Ridge at day light, no one had told Clem yet.

"Clem, I don't know how to tell you…," began Heyes.

-x-x-x-x-x-x

"Jenny looks exhausted," whispered Clem. The once stylish hat she wore was now a crumpled clump of felt twisted between her fingers. "Hannah sounds like she's starving."

Heyes could only nod in agreement. The buxom older woman rocked the squalling Hannah back and forth, vainly trying to get the child to take a bottle. Like most women of the time, Matt breastfed her baby. Felicity Henderson had provided bottles last night, while Arabella Cole brought milk from their dairy cow.

"Hannah just needs to get used to a bottle," reassured Heyes. "She will be fine."

Hazel eyes turned on Heyes. Clem's eyebrow arched up skeptically.

"And you know this how?" asked Clem doubtfully.

"Kid was bottle fed and he managed," Heyes remembered. Aunt Mary had a hard time when her last child was born and wasn't able to feed little Jedidiah. "So will Hannah."

"Hannah keeps spitting up the milk," informed Jenny. "It makes her gassy. The poor child hardly slept at all last night."

"From the looks of everyone," commented Clem, "I'd say none of you slept much last night."

Eliza's red rimmed eyes and pallor confirmed the truth of Clem's words, and Heyes knew that the dark circles under Jenny's eyes were matched by similar shadows on his own face. Clem knelt down in front of Eliza. The child's big blue eyes stared at Clem with suspicion. When Heyes and Clem arrived at Jenny's rooms, the child left Jenny's side and ran towards Heyes. Now, the tiny blonde clung to Heyes' leg.

"Don't you remember me sweetheart?" entreated Clem. The tiny brunette smiled and leaned close, hazel eyes meeting blue. "I'm your cousin Clem. You came to visit me last summer in Denver with your Papa and Mama."

"Eliza was only three last summer," reminded Heyes. "A year is a long time for a little girl to remember…"

Clem's eyebrows drew together as she frowned at Heyes. Eliza stepped back further behind Heyes' leg.

"Or to forget," added Heyes. He couldn't resist the urge to add, "You wouldn't be a stranger if you lived here in Thunder Ridge."

Heyes knelt beside the little blonde and wrapped his arm around the child. Eliza leaned back against him, still eyeing Clem warily.

"Eliza," coaxed Heyes softly, "it's alright. Clem is family."

The blue eyes continued to stare at Clem, but Eliza still didn't say anything. Heyes was reminded of another pair of traumatized blue eyes. Eight year old Jedidiah hadn't said anything for three days after the attack on his family home.

"We went to see the horse races," cajoled Clem in an attempt to jog Eliza's memory. "You and your Papa both liked Acclaim, he was the fastest."

A small nod rewarded Clem's efforts. Across the room, Jenny propped Hannah up in her lap.

"Eliza, your sister needs burping," called Jenny. "Do you want to pat Hannah on the back?"

The little blonde hurried to the relative safety of Grammy Jenny and Hannah. Still kneeling, Clem turned towards Heyes.

"How much did she see?" hissed Clem in a low voice.

"Eliza couldn't have seen the shooting," protested Heyes. "Matt shoved her into the bedroom, and when I got in there, I made sure Eliza didn't go back through the front room."

"So Eliza heard everything, but hasn't seen her parents?" whispered Clem as they both rose to stand.

"A child shouldn't see…," Heyes shook his head, remembering the bloody aftermath of the shooting, remembering his own devastated childhood. "I made her go out through the window."

"And you called going out the window a game," snorted Clem in disgust.

"How else was I going to get her to climb out the window?" huffed Heyes. "Jenny and Mrs. Henderson brought the girls down here, and we've kept them here ever since."

"Even at only four years old, Eliza knows something is very wrong," reminded Clem. "And if Eliza knows how to pull a trigger, she probably knows what bullets can do."

"She's just a child," objected Heyes. "She shouldn't see…"

"A lot of things happen in this world that children shouldn't see," reminded Clem. Her hazel eyes brimmed with unshed tears. "If… if Jed and Matt are…," Clem swallowed. "If you could… wouldn't you want to see your parents one last time?"

"Fine," agreed Heyes. "We'll take Eliza to see her parents."

Clem started to turn towards the child, but Heyes grabbed her wrist.

"Give me half an hour first, to clean up the place," ordered Heyes, "then you can bring her up."

-x-x-x-x-x-x

"How are Kid and Matt doing?" was the first thing Heyes said upon his return to the cabin.

Last night, Beauregard had assured Heyes that both surgeries to remove bullets and repair the damage caused by Tattersall's shots had been successful. However, Heyes preferred to hear a medical opinion from someone he trusted.

"Kid is strong. He's holding his own," confirmed Lobo. With a watchful glance at Matt, the tired man nodded. "And I reckon Mizz Matt's doing as well as can be expected. I ain't tended many women before."

The contrast of Lobo's statement with Beauregard grumbling last night during Kid's surgery, brought a twitch, almost a grin, to Heyes' lips. The doctor mainly tended to women these days, and complained that he hadn't sewn up a wound like Kid's since the war and would rather be doing a Caesarean.

"Many women? Or any?" asked Heyes.

"Any," admitted Lobo.

Kid now lay in the single bed closest to the stove, while Matt lay in the matching bed on the other side of the door. Doc Beauregard snored in the rocker between the woman and the fireplace. The dinner table turned operating table had been cleaned last night, but no one had given any attention to the rest of the cabin.

"Clem's bringing Eliza up in a bit," informed Heyes as he picked up one of the overturned chairs. "Let's get this place looking like a home."

A short while later, Heyes squeezed the washrag out over the sink. Lobo moved the braided rug from the entrance to cover the stained area by the wall. It would take a planer to get that section of floorboards looking clean again. The chairs were back at their customary positions beside the table. Matt's old gun was safely wrapped in her paisley handbag and stored in its customary position on the top shelf high above the trunk.

"Did either Kid or Matt wake while I was gone?" asked Heyes.

"Nah," answered Lobo. "Too soon."

Heyes nodded. He hung the washrag to dry, and picked up the spent bullet he had found embedded in a chink between the stones of the fireplace. One of his missing rounds, Heyes surmised. A glance at the front room confirmed it almost looked normal. The sound of voices, Clem and Eliza, coming up the path sent him hurrying to the bedroom to find the last bullet.

"Now where is it?" murmured Heyes.

Tracing the path of the bullet hole through the wooden door lead him right to his last shot, embedded in the wall opposite the door. Heyes knelt down, penknife in hand, to remove the bullet from the wall. A sudden realization made his stomach turn. For the first time since he had seen Eliza standing atop the boxes holding Kid's gun, Heyes was glad the child had chosen to arm herself. The hole in this wall was just the height of a little girl. The sound of the cabin door opening stirred Heyes. He hurried to the front room in time to see Kyle usher Clem and Eliza inside.

"Right this way, Miss Eliza, Miss Clementine," directed Kyle.

Doc Beauregard snuffled and stopped snoring. The medical man sat up and looked around. Clem clasped Eliza's hand tightly.

"Now, now," objected the doctor as he stood up, "my patients are not ready for visitors."

"I wanna see Papa and Mama," demanded Eliza.

Clem looked from Kid's bed to Matt and then met Heyes' eyes. The hollow look on her face made Heyes wonder if he looked as hopeless. Kid's shoulders were bare and his tanned chest was wrapped in bandages. As far as Heyes could tell his partner hadn't moved since being placed on the bed. For modesty's sake, the right side of Matt's torso remained covered with the shirtwaist she had been wearing yesterday. Her left side was wrapped in bandages, the arm secured across her chest to keep the collarbone from moving.

"Now young lady, you can't…," began Beauregard in a pompous tone.

"That's my daughter you're talking to Beauregard," rasped Kid.

"Papa!" exclaimed Eliza.

The child jerked free of Clem's grasp and ran towards her father's bedside. Heyes caught her before she threw herself on Kid.

"Easy Princess, you don't want to hurt him," warned Heyes. "Your Papa's not feeling his best."

Eliza's bottom lip trembled. Kid's blue eyes blinked slowly, a crooked smile spread across his lips in an attempt to reassure the child. The curly haired man reached his big hand towards Eliza. Kid winced as the movement pulled chest muscles. With the amount of laudanum Doc had been dosing his patients with, Heyes was surprised that Kid was awake and anywhere near alert.

"Papa?" quavered Eliza. "Are you alright?"

"Just tired, I'll be fine soon," replied Kid. A worried glance at Heyes, and Kid asked, "Mattie?"

"She's doing fine," replied Heyes firmly. He wasn't going to give Kid anything to worry about. "Doc gave Matt some laudanum, she's sleeping. And Hannah's with Jenny."

Heyes' brown eyed gaze tried to convey a sense of security. Without saying anything in front of Eliza, Heyes was sure Kid knew that Tattersall wasn't going to be around to bother his family again. Kid's blue eyes returned to his oldest daughter.

"Mind Joshua now until your Mama and I are better," breathed Kid. Heyes could tell the effort of speaking was exhausting his partner. Kid patted Eliza's soft arm. "And help Grammy keep an eye on your little sister."

Heyes scooped Eliza up in his arms and rose to stand. Kid's eyes blinked and then the muscular blond faded from consciousness once more.

"You heard your Papa," admonished Heyes. "Let's get you back with Grammy Jenny so you can help take care of Hannah."

"But Mama," objected the child. Eliza twisted and turned trying to see her mother.

"Your Mama's resting too," reminded Clem. "I'll stay here with your parents, while Joshua takes you back to Grammy's. Alright?"

For a moment, Heyes thought Eliza might argue, but then she relaxed in his grasp and nodded.

-x-x-x-x-x-x

Heyes stepped out of Jenny's rooms into the wide corridor of Mrs. Henderson's boarding house and found himself face to face with Wheat. The woman dressed in purple stood beside Wheat, both were holding hands and grinning.

"Hey- uh, Joshua," greeted Wheat, "I'd like to introduce you to my fiancée Miss Martha Elwood of Minneapolis, Minnesota."

"Pleased to make your acquaintance Miss Elwood," responded Heyes with a smile, his natural charm rising to the occasion despite his exhaustion. "How did you and my friend meet?"

"Oh we've known each other since we were children," gushed Miss Elwood. "Johannes and I were engaged before he went off to war."

Heyes' tired brain tried to calculate how long ago that must have been, but he really didn't know when Wheat had enlisted. Nearly thirty years at least, a long engagement by any standards. Martha babbled on.

"So many of our Minnesota volunteers did not return," the woman clasped Wheat even tighter, "I thought Johannes too was dead, until I saw his picture in the newspaper."

The rolled up Tribune beneath her arm showed a glimpse of the same photograph of the bears that Harry and Tattersall had seen. Wheat patted the hand clutching his forearm soothingly.

"Very happy for you both," murmured Heyes. With a gesture towards the outer door, Heyes added, "If you will please excuse me, I have to visit a sick friend."

"By all means," agreed Miss Elwood. She gestured towards a nearby door. "And I need to get settled into my room."

Heyes turned towards the exit as the woman moved further down the corridor, but found himself held back by Wheat. The burly former outlaw grasped Heyes' arm by the elbow.

"Joshua," entreated Wheat, "would you send Preacher back?"

-x-x-x-x-x-x

"Doc?"

Heyes was startled to meet Beauregard headed downhill on the steep trail as Heyes was returning to the cabin.

"Are you leaving?" asked Heyes.

"Both Mr. and Mrs. Jones are resting comfortably," answered Beauregard. "I'm going to get some supper and a change of clothes. I'll be back to check on my patients later."

Heyes continued his climb. Preacher and Kyle still appeared on guard outside of the cabin. Heyes conveyed Wheat's message to Preacher. The questionable man of the cloth nodded and started down the trail. Kyle settled himself against a tree, remaining watchful despite no sign of threat more dangerous than a meadowlark. As Heyes approached the cabin, Lobo opened the front door.

"Are you and Miss Clementine gonna keep an eye on Kid and Mizz Matt?" asked the bushy haired former outlaw.

"Yeah," answered Heyes. He arched an eyebrow and asked, "Are you leaving?"

"Got both of them to drink some more willow bark tea," replied Lobo with a nod. The man yawned and stretched his arms. "Doc Beauregard left some more laudanum if they wake hurting too much."

Lobo stomped off in the direction of the old mine turned bunk house. Heyes shook his head as he watched his old friend depart. Opening the door, he entered the cabin to find Clem pacing back and forth. The hazel eyed woman looked up at his entrance.

"Good! You're back," greeted Clem wringing her hands as she reached the fireplace and turned. "We need to make plans."

"What?" asked Heyes. He rubbed a hand across his eyes. He'd been up all night and couldn't think straight. Heyes blinked and tried to follow what Clem was saying, but she wasn't making sense. "What are you talking about Clem? What plans?"

Clem stopped in the middle of the room. Her lower chin wobbled as she glanced from Kid to Matt. A tear spilled out of one eye, but then her jaw jutted out determinedly. Clem started pacing again, waving her hands at either side, talking rapidly.

"Plans to take care of the girls," answered Clem. "Beauregard said that if both parents die," her voice quavered for a moment, before she continued, "custody of the children usually goes to the nearest relatives."

"Clem…," Heyes tried to interject.

"According to Beauregard," continued Clem, "that would be Jenny, but he said Jenny is getting up there in age…"

"Beauregard better not let Jenny hear him say that!" exclaimed Heyes.

Clem's pacing reached the stove. She spun around and began stalking back towards the fireplace. All the while nonstop talking, planning, scheming.

"Everybody knows that I'm Thaddeus's cousin," continued Clem, "but Eula Mae is Matt's cousin, and Eula Mae has a husband and experience with raising children, being a mother herself…"

"Clem?" Heyes rubbed his eyes and stared at the diminutive woman before him, "Slow down. What are you trying to say?"

Clem stopped and turned toward Heyes.

"Beauregard said if I hope to get custody of the girls, I need a husband," stated Clem. She took a deep breath, chin wobbled once more. "Heyes, will you marry me?"

-x-x-x-x-x-x

Heyes shook his head, not quite believing what he'd heard. He ran a hand through his dark hair and tilted his head to one side as he regarded the hazel eyed woman standing in front of him. He took a deep breath before answering.

"Clem," started Heyes, "you've come up with some wild hair-brained schemes before, but this takes the cake!"

"Heyes!" cried Clem, wringing her hands again. "We can't lose Kid and Matt and the girls too!"

Heyes stalked forward past the table. Clem backed up until she reached the wall and couldn't move any further. Heyes placed his slender hands against the wall, one on either side of Clem's head, and leaned in closer, until he was eye to eye with Clem, their lips mere inches apart.

"I can't accept your proposal," murmured Heyes.

Clem blinked. A big fat tear spilled over from her right eye. Heyes brought one finger up and gently wiped it away.

"We're not gonna lose Kid or Matt or the girls," assured Heyes.

"But Doctor Beauregard said…"

"Neville Beauregard is an idiot," declared Heyes. He'd suspected the medical man for years, and Heyes didn't appreciate the man scaring Clem. "According to Lobo, the man is a good doctor, but Beauregard is still an idiot."

"What do you mean?" asked Clem.

"Beauregard left," reminded Heyes. "And Lobo too."

Clem gave a little nod and swallowed.

"I really don't know about Beauregard, but Lobo wouldn't leave Kid and Matt here, with just you to watch them, unless he was sure they would be fine when he got back," continued Heyes. "They ain't dying."

"They're not dying?" repeated Clem. Her voice quavered. "You're sure?"

"I'm sure," answered Heyes. "And about that proposal of yours…"

Clem drew herself upright, as tall as her tiny frame could manage. Her pert little nose tilted upwards.

"I only proposed for the sake of the children," sniffed Clem.

"Well I couldn't accept," stated Heyes, "if your proposal was only for the sake of the children."

"What?" demanded Clem. "What do you mean? It was a good reason! You've proposed for…"

"The first time I proposed wasn't about the photographs," interrupted Heyes.

Clem's hazel eyes narrowed with suspicion. She started to open her mouth, but Heyes hurried on.

"And the second time didn't have anything to do with what we'd been doing," continued Heyes with a smirk. "As delightful as that was…"

"I don't need you to make an _honest woman _out of me," hissed Clem.

Heyes blinked at the frustration in her voice. It was the same phrase she'd used in her tirade four years ago. The double standards women had to put up with sometimes, were enough to drive a person crazy.

"Of course not. You're the most honest person I know," agreed Heyes. "And this time…"

"This time?" interrupted Clem, her voice squeaked in surprise. "You're proposing again?"

"Third time's the charm, right?" asked Heyes. His voice sounded husky as he pressed closer and formally asked, "Miss Clementine Hale, would you do me the honor of marrying me?"

There was a momentary silence as brown eyes stared into the depths of the hazel eyes before him. The wordless communication was broken when Clem blinked.

"Why?" demanded Clem, her face flushed and her voice breathless. "Why do you want to marry me?"

Heyes' deep brown eyes told her the real answer before he spoke.

"It's hard work being an honest man," cajoled Heyes, brown eyes twinkling. "You wouldn't want me to backslide now, would you?"

There was the faintest hint of a smirk on Clem's face as her lips curled up. Hazel eyes twinkled.

"Well," drawled Clem, dissembling, "I suppose in that case, I will have to accept your proposal... if you really need help staying honest."

"Oh, I need…," grinned Heyes.

The soft sound of a pillow falling to the floor behind Heyes alerted him to the fact that they had an audience before Kid's voice spoke.

"Would you kiss her already," groaned Kid in exasperation.

Both Heyes and Clem blinked in surprise.

"How long has he been listening?" hissed Heyes.

"His eyes have been open at least since you started talking about honesty," called Matt's voice from the other side of the room.

Heyes and Clem exchanged another glance.

"She heard too?" asked Heyes.

Clem nodded.

"Did I hear someone mention cake?" asked Kid.

But neither Clem nor Heyes answered. For once, the mouths of the two most talkative people in the old West were occupied with something more important than speech.

-x-x-x-x-x-x


	10. Epilogue

Disclaimer: Alias Smith and Jones does not belong to me. This is fan fiction, not for profit.

Any references to people, places, businesses, etc. are entirely fictitious.

A/N – story presumes the details on the wanted posters are not entirely accurate. Story exists in the same story verse as Kid Plans, South By Southeast, and Trouble In Texas but should also stand alone.

Epilogue

-x-x-x-x-x-x

After another dose of laudanum, Kid soon drifted back into a restless sleep. Matt refused to take any more medication, fretting about not being able to feed Hannah. Heyes promised to bring both girls back before nightfall and left Clem brewing more willow bark tea. Kyle followed Heyes down the steep mountainside trail.

"Lom wanted to see you," informed Kyle. "He's at the undertakers."

"When was Lom here?" asked Heyes as he tilted the brim of his black hat up away from his eyes.

"When you was busy kissing Miss Clementine," grinned Kyle.

Heyes rubbed his tired eyes. He really wanted to lie down and sleep, but the slender man diverted his steps away from the boarding house and headed towards Lute Morrison's. August flowers, Red Indian Paintbrush and bright yellow Black Eyed Susans bloomed in the garden surrounding the undertaker's home. Lute and Lom stood visible near the fence separating Lute's garden from the Thunder Ridge cemetery. Heyes started shaking his head before he reached Lom.

"You ain't burying Tattersall in Thunder Ridge," insisted Heyes.

"Course not Joshua," responded Lom. "I've already made arrangements to have his body shipped back to Nevada."

"Then what did you want to talk to me about?" asked Heyes as he rubbed a hand across his head and squinted against the late afternoon light.

"When's the wedding?" demanded Lom with a steely glint to his eyes. "Bad enough I missed Kid's, I ain't missing yours too."

-x-x-x-x-x-x

Heyes didn't answer Lom's question. Instead the slender man turned towards the sound of noise coming from the boarding house. The front door slammed as the woman dressed in purple stomped her way down the front steps.

"I'm going back to Minneapolis," huffed Martha in a voice that carried across the village square. "What kind of heathen place…"

"Now Martha," pleaded Wheat as he followed out the door, hurrying behind her, "we just don't have all the comforts of a big city…"

A third figure dressed in black with his hat pulled down low slunk out of the boarding house. Heyes beckoned for Preacher. The big man scowled at the couple now walking towards the livery stable.

"What's going on?" hissed Heyes. "I thought you were gonna marry those two."

"I ain't a Lutheran minister," huffed Preacher, "and the boarding house ain't a proper church."

Hmmm. Heyes hurried after Wheat. Preacher and Kyle exchanged a glance and then followed after the mastermind. Kid wasn't here to back Heyes up, and they certainly weren't gonna be the ones to tell Kid his partner got in trouble while they stood watching.

"Miss Elwood," called Heyes.

Martha stopped in the middle of the roadway and turned to the sound of Heyes' voice. Wheat was moving so fast, he continued right past his fiancée and did an about face when he realized she had changed directions.

"Mr. Smith," greeted Martha with a formal tone of icy politeness. "We meet again."

"Yes ma'am," nodded Heyes. The brave man ran a finger along his collar feeling an unexpected chill in the August air. "I understand you're looking for a house of worship."

"Yes…" began Martha.

"My friend Wh- Johannes, usually goes to Four Corners the first Saturday of every month, stays overnight at the hotel," hurriedly pressed Heyes.

"And you tell me this why?" demanded Martha.

"Johannes can tell you," answered Heyes with a confident smile. "Church is right next to the hotel."

Martha glanced sideways at Wheat. Heyes didn't figure he needed to mention why Wheat went to Four Corners, nor the fact that he usually was accompanied by Kyle, Preacher and Lobo. If Martha thought Wheat stayed for Sunday services, well… she didn't hear that from Heyes.

"Is this a Lutheran Church?" asked Martha.

"Uh…," hesitated Heyes. Brown eyes looked past Martha to see Wheat nodding eagerly. "I think so, but maybe you and Johannes should go check it out tomorrow."

"You might like a buggy ride Martha," suggested Wheat with a big grin. "We could take a picnic basket. It would be like when we was first courtin'."

Heyes was surprised to see the woman flush. She looked flustered for a moment, then smiled and nodded. The burly man held out his arm politely. Martha placed her left hand upon his forearm. Heyes thought that the pair would walk back to the boarding house, but Wheat took a slight detour.

"Martha, there's some folks I'd like you to meet," said Wheat as they approached the four men watching from the relative safety of the fence. "This here's my partner Kyle, you already met Preacher, and Sheriff Lom Trevors…"

-x-x-x-x-x-x

Later that evening, Heyes and Jenny brought both girls back up to the cabin. Lobo was back, but no sign of Doc Beauregard. Eliza made a beeline straight to her father. Lobo scooped her up and put the rambunctious four year old in the chair closest to Kid before the bushy haired man resumed changing the dressing on Kid's chest. Jenny propped little Hannah up on pillows and began chatting with Matt about the infant's feeding and other bodily functions over the past twenty-four hours. Heyes went in search of Clem.

"Settling in?" greeted Heyes.

He leaned against the door frame of the small back bedroom, watching. Clem looked up from the framed photographs she was placing on the dresser, smiled and nodded. Gesturing to the closest photograph, she beckoned Heyes to come closer. He peered at the small oval photograph that must have been taken last summer in Denver. There must have been a breeze that day. With Eliza's curls blowing sideways, you couldn't really see much of Kid beside his floppy hat, but Eliza's happy smile and tiny hand stroking the horse's muzzle made Heyes's lips curl up in a dimpled grin.

"Is that Acclaim?" asked Heyes.

"Yes," answered Clem. "I think Eliza started to trust me when I showed her this photo."

Heyes picked up the next rectangular framed photograph. He hadn't seen that one in over fifteen years. The photograph was a really close picture of Kid, Clem and himself. Heyes chuckled. He had been twenty-seven, Kid and Clem twenty-three and he still remembered how that awful starched shirt scratched. Heyes set the picture down and reached for the familiar third photograph of Clem as a child, her two brothers and her parents.

"Clem," asked Heyes, not quite sure how to phrase the question that had been on his mind since his earlier encounter with Wheat and Martha, "do you have any particular requirements about getting married?"

"Requirements?" questioned Clem. She placed the folded garment in her hands and laid it flat on the mattress. "What do you mean requirements?"

"Oh I don't know… a church… or a fancy dress… or…," Heyes stared intently at the photograph in his hands, not looking at Clem.

He didn't see a mischievous smile light up her face, and he was too busy talking to hear her quiet footsteps as she approached, but he did feel her small hands wrap around his waist.

"Oh I have lots of requirements," breathed Clem. "Smart, kind, brave, handsome…"

Heyes' grin spread across his face and his shoulders relaxed as he listened to Clem's recital. He twisted around to face Clem.

"Of course since Jed is already married…," smirked Clem.

"What?" squawked Heyes.

"I'll have to settle for you," concluded Clem with a smile and a teasing look in her hazel eyes.

"Hmmph," responded Heyes. He arched an eyebrow, and added, "I could have proposed to Georgette you know."

"You could have," agreed Clem with a self-satisfied smirk. "But I just don't see you having a Texas Ranger as father-in-law."

"Me neither," chuckled Heyes in agreement. A thought struck him. "Maybe we should introduce her to Lom."

Clem leaned closer and Heyes found himself wrapping his arms around her. He breathed in the scent of vanilla extract as he lowered his lips to whisper in her ear.

"Clem, what kind of wedding do you want?"

"The important part is having you as groom," answered Clem. She reached a finger out to trace the image of Eliza in the photograph on her dresser. "The other stuff, where and dresses, really aren't all that important. I must say I thought Jed and Matt's wedding was just about perfect, but it would be nice to have a flower girl too."

-x-x-x-x-x-x

Doc Beauregard fussed about the possibility of Kid pulling out his stitches. The medical man sounded almost like a little old quilter that Heyes remembered fondly. Despite Doc's fussing, two days later Kid insisted he was well enough to sit outside in the rocker on the front porch. Personally, Heyes thought his partner was tired of being cooped up inside. Clem and Eliza kept Kid occupied by demanding he referee their game of stickball. Jenny sat in the chair beside Kid, ostensibly to rock little Hannah, but mainly to keep an eye on him and make sure he didn't try something foolish that might hurt those stitched chest muscles, like standing up by himself or laughing hard. Inside, Heyes was taking directions from Matt.

"Cream the sugar and butter," insisted Matt.

"Cream? I didn't bring any cream," replied Heyes. "The Cole's might have some. I can be down there and back quick…"

"No," huffed Matt. She handed him a wooden spoon. "I mean mash the butter and the sugar together until it looks all creamy…"

"Well why didn't you say that in the first place?" demanded Heyes.

Heyes kept stirring as Matt brought more ingredients to be added to the batter, eggs and flour, cinnamon and nutmeg. Heyes kept stirring until he felt that his arm was going to fall off. Oops. He hadn't meant to say that bit out loud.

"Really?" huffed Matt as she pushed a blonde strand of hair back from her face with the only hand she could use. "Get a bullet in your shoulder and then you can complain."

"Sorry," mumbled Heyes.

"That's the first time I've ever been shot before," confided Matt. "I thought I was dying."

"Getting shot is scary," agreed Heyes.

"I guess I sounded real foolish that day," admitted Matt. "Compared to some of the things you and Jed have gone through…"

Heyes knew how much a bullet could hurt. Thinking back, he realized he'd never been shot as an outlaw, only after the partners started trying for amnesty. He remembered Matt's whispered words when she thought she was dying. Words of encouragement for Kid. A promise of love waiting.

"No, not foolish," objected Heyes.

"Crazy then," sighed Matt.

"Not crazy either," argued Heyes. "Believe me, I've seen crazy. There was a woman named Lorraine, she sort of looked like you, she and her mother kidnapped Kid and threatened to kill him."

Matt raised her eyebrows at his comment. Too late Heyes realized how that might sound.

"You think I look like a crazy kidnapper?" harrumphed Matt.

"I didn't say you look like a crazy woman," clarified Heyes quickly. "You a lot taller than Lorraine…"

"Is that why you were so stand-offish when we first met?"

"Well you were chasing after a man intending to kill him," reminded Heyes. "Not exactly the kind of woman I want my partner to get interested in..."

"Hmmph!" sniffed Matt. "I'm not a mur..."

Her voice trailed off as she looked at the spot on the floor where Tattersall had fallen.

"No, you're not a murderer. Self defense is not murder," agreed Heyes. He smiled, "But you got to admit you were a very scary, angry woman back then."

"Hmmph!" sniffed Matt again. "I'm not Lorraine."

"Course not!" agreed Heyes. "You just look like her. A little bit... I mean... sheesh!"

Heyes gulped at Matt's frown and poured the batter into the waiting pan. Sometimes Matt was still a scary woman.

"Who would have ever thought making a birthday cake was gonna be this hard," grumbled Heyes as together they finally slid Kid's cake into the oven.

-x-x-x-x-x-x

The last Saturday in August, a watchful Heyes walked slowly with Kid to the forest glade near the spring. It was the first time since the shooting that Kid had left the house.

"Take your time," reminded Heyes, "we don't want to wear you out…"

"Heyes, quit worrying," huffed Kid. He rubbed his chest muscles. "I'm fine. Stitches ain't gonna pull out."

In an effort to distract himself from worrying about his partner, Heyes did the one thing he did best. He talked. He chattered. He babbled.

"Three times is the charm, right?" asked Heyes not really expecting an answer. "I mean it took you three tries before Matt said yes…"

A grunt from his partner stopped him. Heyes looked at Kid standing on the woodland path beside him. Kid's poker face was on.

"I said I proposed three times," reminded Kid. "Never said I proposed to Matt."

"What?"

"Tried to once or twice," continued Kid. "We talked about just everything, but whenever the word marriage came up, Matt would say _Lord no! Once was enough!_"

"But, but…," Heyes gestured with his hands to point to Kid and down the path to where Matt and Clem awaited them. "You're married…"

"Matt proposed to me," replied Kid with a grin.

Dumbfounded, Heyes continued silently until the partners reached Preacher, Lom, Jenny and the girls. Heyes looked over at his partner, but Kid's next words stopped any additional questions Heyes had.

"Here comes Clem."

-x-x-x-x-x-x

In September, the new Mrs. Carlsen, Martha to her friends, began teaching school at Thunder Ridge. Martha and the librarian didn't always see eye to eye, and she wasn't the least bit impressed that Heyes was a member of the school board too.

"She's banned _Wuthering Heights!_" hissed Heyes in annoyance as he sat down beside his partner.

"Didn't you say that book was awful?" asked Kid.

"Well yeah, but that's beside the point," huffed Heyes.

"And what is the point Joshua?"

"Banning books is worse than awful," answered Heyes.

Heyes continued grumbling about the new school teacher's opinions on certain books and their effect on impressionable minds until Kid got tired of listening.

"Hasn't she done anything right?" asked Kid rolling his blue eyes

Heyes stopped complaining and started to grin.

"Yeah Thaddeus," responded Heyes. "Oh yeah, she's hung ruffled curtains on the bunkhouse windows."

"I saw," grinned Kid. "The pink roses are real pretty."

Construction at the bunkhouse provided separate rooms for the newly married Carlsens. And the addition of a lady to the house added some new rules. Kyle was still complaining about the Saturday night bath requirement.

"Martha's also started a theater group for the older students," added Heyes. "Gonna put on a play before Christmas."

"Which play?"

"The same one you and Clem were in back in Valparaiso," answered Heyes. "Do you remember it?"

Kid rubbed the cleaning cloth over his gleaming pistol once more.

"Yeah, I played Borrachio," answered Kid. "The character was a villain, a real bad 'un, said bad things about a lady."

"Nah Kid," objected Heyes. "Borrachio was a hero. He's the one that finally told the truth."

-x-x-x-x-x-x

In October, Doctor Neville Beauregard introduced his new protégé from Boston.

"I am thinking about retiring," confided the medical man as he tugged on his suspenders.

Heyes wasn't quite sure what he thought of the young doctor. Hiram Winston Abernathy had a lot of new ideas.

-x-x-x-x-x-x

In November Harry packed his bags and headed south.

"Heard word of Bannerman," grinned Harry. "I'm going to New Orleans."

"We've got a friend that lives there," replied Heyes. "You might try looking her up."

-x-x-x-x-x-x

"What's on your mind Joshua?" asked Kid as he slammed the axe down.

Heyes stopped a few feet short of where Kid was splitting logs and reached up behind his neck and turned up the collar on his brown jacket against the December chill. Back at the cabin, Matt opened the front door to greet Clem.

"What makes you think I've got something on my mind?" stalled Heyes.

The excited man tried his best to sound nonchalant, but it was hard keeping the happy words locked down tight. He'd promised Clem to let her tell Matt. Heyes watched until Clem stepped inside and then he spun around to face Kid. His partner had his head tilted to one side, watching Heyes.

"You got that look in your eyes," answered Kid. "Like you got a new idea, and your brain is all swellin' up. You gotta tell someone…"

"Well you know Kid," grinned Heyes, "It's a miracle, but it ain't me that's swelling up."

Happy words bubbled forth as the talkative man began to explain. Kid sat down on the stump he was using as a chopping block and grinned at Heyes. The older Kansan paced back and forth in front of the woodpile. Hands waved in the air and Heyes talked on.

"Heyes," asked Kid when his partner finally stopped for a deep breath, "what's that fancy new doctor fella mean _change of life baby_?"

"It's just some fancy talk Abernathy has," answered Heyes. "Means Clem is nearly forty, and I'm even older."

"It don't make no sense," replied Kid. "All babies change a person's life. Change for the better."

-x-x-x-x-x-x

In January, Kid shared some special news with Heyes.

"Another one? So soon?" asked Heyes, a dimpled grin spread across his face. Delight that his own child would have a friend, one of Kid's children close in age, mingled with surprise. Kid was usually very careful. "Hannah's barely seven months old now."

"Mattie didn't like being an only child, and always said she wanted a big family," responded Kid. "And since she got shot and wasn't able to nurse Hannah, I reckon this one is gonna come along sooner."

"Do you and Matt want to borrow the _Baby Name Book_?" asked Heyes.

"Nah," answered Kid, "we've already picked names."

"Really?" asked Heyes.

Truthfully, he was quite relieved not to give up his newest favorite book. Heyes and Clem were still perusing the library's newest acquisition in the elusive search for a perfect name. So far they had determined their child would not be named Hannibal, Clement or Clementine. Heyes didn't hear his partner's name choice for a baby boy, but he did hear the name for if she was a girl.

"And if the new baby is a girl," continued Kid with a smirk, "Matt wants to call her Lorraine."

Brown eyes opened wide. Was this Matt's idea of a joke?

"Lorraine?"

-x-x-x-x-x-x


End file.
